America, the Next Adventure
by Una Morgan
Summary: After graduation, Anzu moves to America to study dance at NYU. Yugi surprises everyone by following her, proving he can be independant. But he soon realizes life in New York City is more difficult than in Domino. Peachshipping. COMPLETE! Lime warni
1. Chapter 1: I'm Still Here

**America: The Next Adventure**

This is the first section of my next trilogy of YGO fics! That's right, a whole new epic saga, taking place not long after YLPII ended. I hope you won't mind rejoining Yugi, Yami, and Nazo as they continue to live out their lives as best they can, with the ghosts of the past, present, and future looming ever near them. For those of you new to my stories, most of the past trilogy will be explained as time passes on in these stories.

This is rated T, with a lime section later on (still within the PG-13 limits). The next two stories will be M.

I have no problem with homosexuality. I simply don't think the men of YGO are gay.

Oh, and I believe the moderators of this site have been too pushy lately. If you agree, and have not signed any online petitions to abolish the latest rules (no script format, no lyrics, no review responses), e-mail me, and I'll send you the links. _smiles_

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* * *

Pairings: Yami/OC, Seto/OC, Mokuba/Shizuka, Honda/Miho, Karim/Isis, Mai/Jonouchi/OC, OC/Rebecca/Yugi/Anzu/OC **

/Yugi thought-speak/  
/'/Yami's thought-speak/'/

(Fasten your seatbelts. Its going to be a bumpy ride!)

* * *

"Judgeman, attack his Curse of Dragon!" The monster brought down his hammer and crushed the dragon, which shattered on contact. Seto smirked with satisfaction. His life points were still at 2100. He held up his Millennium Rod commandingly, his priest robes billowing in the wind. "Now, Twilight Zone Dragon, attack his life points directly!"

Atem shielded his face as his life points dropped down to 1200. The young pharaoh straightened his crown and drew another card. "I place two cards face down, and summon Big Shield Gardna in defense mode." The monster appeared crouched down, protecting his life points from a direct attack.

Duel Monsters was the noble game of ancient times, played to determine the fates of those daring enough to defend honor or justice. Pharaoh Atem and High Priest Seto stood on respective pillars amid the rocky crags of ancient Egypt, the game's place of origin.

Atem's white robes had become increasingly dirty due to the sand and dust kicked up by the monsters. His cape draped over one arm to protect his tanned skin from the blistering heat of the sun's rays, while his other held the cards representing the monsters he enlisted to defend him. Each card held the spirit of a monster who saved in him battle many times before.

Seto took another card. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were letting me win."

Atem smirked at his worthy rival. "Who said you knew any better?"

"I sacrifice Judgeman and Twilight Zone Dragon to summon my Blue Eyes White Dragon!" The large, ferocious beast appeared in place of Kaiba's other monsters. "And I use the magic card Monster Reborn to bring back its double." Another Blue Eyes joined the first. Seto chuckled. "Say 'good-bye,' Pharaoh! Blue Eyes, destroy Big Shield Gardna!" The dragon powered up its blast.

Atem raised his arm. "I activate the trap card Holy Barrier Mirror Force! Now your own monster's attack will destroy both of them!" Blue Eyes' attack bounced off of the card and headed back.

Seto raised his own arm. "I activate Attack Nullification!" The blast disappeared. "Not bad. I didn't see that coming."

"You still have another dragon, Seto."

Seto figured that, with his opponent so willing to remind him of the possible strategy, one of the other facedown cards could be a trap. "I think I'll pass this time." He placed another monster face down in defense and gave up his turn. 'If I'm going to defeat him once and for all, I'd rather have all three of my dragons.'

Atem nodded. "Very well. My turn." He drew another card and glanced at it. "I activate Emblem of Dragon Destroyer to summon Buster Blader! And with your two dragons on the field, that make his attack points 3600!" The large warrior appeared, and his AP increased. "I also play Watapon in defense mode." The pink fluff joined the warrior. "Plus one more card face down, and I end my turn."

Seto studied the field. Atem now had three facedown cards and three monsters, one with 3600 AP, one with 2600 DP, one with 300 DP. He was obviously planning on summoning something very powerful. In order to stop that, he needed to get rid of two monsters at least in the next turn, one of them being Buster Blader. He drew his next card. 'Perfect!' "I'll use Cross Scarification, sacrificing one of your own monsters and mine, to summon my third Blue Eyes."

Big Shield Gardna and his own face down monster disappeared, bringing to the field his last Blue Eyes White Dragon. "Finally, I use Polymerization to create my Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon!" The three-headed dragon had 4800 AP.

He was about to call the attack, when a loud, long buzzer sounded. "Time's up," an electronic, female voice stated. The setting faded away, changing completely into the metallic walls of the Kaiba Corp. testing room.

Kaiba Seto removed his goggles. "God dammit," he snarled. "I was so close!"

Moto Yami also removed his goggles. "Don't be so hard on yourself, Kaiba. Be thankful the equipment was not damaged after all!" Yami did not say so aloud, but he was impressed with the Virtual Reality Simulator the CEO had invented a few months ago. For a minute there, he thought he was his past self: Pharaoh Atem, monarch of the New Kingdom of ancient Egypt.

"Damaged machinery is the last thing I cared about in this duel, Moto!" Kaiba angrily removed the rest of the headgear and unplugged his duel disk from the consol. "Let's finish this the old fashioned way, and I'll defeat you once and for all!"

Yami shook his head. "Sorry, but I don't want Keiko cursing me for you being late to your 'dinner-date,' just to satisfy your ego. You haven't had much luck with babysitters since you came back from LA."

"Keep out of my personal life!"

"Right." Yami collected his cards from the disk. But before he put them away, he shuffled through them one more time, looking at each picture, each monster, and sensing their loyal spirits flowing through his hands. Had it really been so long ago that these creatures helped him save the world?

"How does it feel," asked Kaiba quietly.

"Like riding a bike, I suppose." **1**

"But deeper than that."

Yami nodded. "I have missed how they feel in my hands."

"Any regrets?"

"Over retiring at the top of my game? No. It's a relief not being hounded by reporters who know nothing of Duel Monsters, or challenges from ignorant, ambitious duelists. I'm much happier this way." He pulled out his favorite card: the Dark Magician. "Thanks for the opportunity to try out this system before you set it up in the new Kaibaland."

Kaiba was off to one side at a closet, exchanging his white trench coat for a dinner jacket. "You're the only one I can have a decent duel with. And I knew you wouldn't turn it down. I'm still the only one in your league!"

"I don't know," said Yami, placing his magician into his wallet. "Yugi and Jonouchi have drastically impr-"

"Don't even compare," snapped Kaiba. "That _bonkotsu_ has yet to win a single championship in any division of the country! And as for your brother, the only reason he wins is because the two of us don't duel anymore." **2**

Yami shrugged. He grabbed his black windbreaker and packed his duel disk into his briefcase. "My best to your family!"

"I had you beaten, though."

"No you didn't."

"Yes I did."

"No, you didn't. Check your computer if you don't believe me."

Kaiba snorted, but typed in his password. The electronic voice said, "Considering cards in play, past strategic history, and time since last duel of each play, Moto Yami had an 89 chance of victory. Kaiba Seto, 11." **3**

Kaiba scoffed. He looked up just in time to see Yami hold up his hand in good-bye as the King of Games walked down the stairs.

* * *

_**Chapter 1: "I'm Still Here"**_

_**September 6th - present day Domino City, Japan**_

Yami double-checked with his secretary about his flight to Berlin next Wednesday. He went over his schedule of meetings, and he was relieved to see that he had the rest of the day free. This was a rare occasion for the Chief of Kaiba Corporation's Intercontinental Relations Department. He got tired from just the title! But his reputation in the gaming community, as well as his determination, made him a master at his job. Even Kaiba admitted that Yami was invaluable to the company's recent success. His connections with members of the Japanese government (each of them fans) helped clinch the deal for the construction of Kaibaland Tokyo, providing that Yami and his employer gave the senators' sons autographs.

He took a book from the shelf of his bookcase, opened the pages to reveal a small, flat safe, typed in the ten-digit password, and placed his Egyptian god cards in the compartment. His job as an executive was a matter of his life; his job as guardian over the relics of his past was a matter of his honor. He still wore the Millennium Puzzle around his neck over his work clothes at all times. He frequently checked up on Marik and Isis Ishtar, Bakura Yami, and Karim Ayaat. Now that the Kaiba family had recently moved back to Japan, he knew Seto kept the Rod safe.

"What time is my phone conference with Mr. Abboud, Ysako?"

"Nine o'clock tomorrow morning, Moto-san," his secretary replied.

"Thanks. I'm heading home early today."

"Please tell your wife I said hello," she said rather quietly. "I don't think she likes me very much."

'That's because she's convinced you spend more time with me than I with her,' Yami thought as he gave a nod good-bye. 'That's not entirely true since I spend my time in other countries too often to even consider an affair! Who came up with the rule that all secretaries had to be beautiful young women? Not that I'm complaining…'

"Best make it up to Nazo a little." He took out his cell phone and dialed the first number in his address book. "Oy, Nazo-sa. I don't have any more meetings today, so do you want to go out to a movie this evening?" Yami waved to a few people in the lobby. "Sounds good. See you there in about an hour."

It was a crisp, September afternoon in Domino City, and the streets weren't as crowded as they were a week ago, before the fall session of school started. His car was in the shop again (Yami was never a good driver), and instead of taking public transport, he decided to walk home. That way he could have an excuse to drop in on the Kame Game Shop before he met with his wife.

He passed by the school, and scanned for his friends until he remembered that they had graduated that April. Both Ryou and Yami Bakura had moved to Osaka to live with relatives and attend college there. Honda Hiroto now lived in an apartment just outside the city and entered into police academy last month. Jonouchi Katsuya and Moto Yugi, Yami's brother, had applied and failed to get into their choice colleges, so both studied to get in next year. Misaki Anzu, Yugi's ex-girlfriend but still friend, had followed her dreams and moved to New York to study dance and theater.

'That was a sad day,' he recalled. Yugi never once argued with her decision to leave, and was the first to congratulate her on her acceptance into NYU. But everyone could see Yugi's hurt at the airport when he hugged her good-bye. He'd spent the next month in his room, depressed and distant. It wasn't until Jonouchi entered them both in yet another DM tournament that Yugi began acting like his old self.

Jonouchi and his sister, Shizuka, each lived in apartments of their own in the same building. Shizuka now attended Domino High and worked part-time at a baby-sitting agency. This was the same agency Keiko exhausted the resources of at the moment.

Keiko and Seto Kaiba were now officially married and parents of twins. The Kaiba children were well known for being intelligent, hyperactive toddlers who often drove unsuspecting sitters insane. Few could really handle them and live to tell about it.

Kaiba Mokuba was now fourteen and attending high school with Shizuka. Yami had heard a rumor from Honda that the two were an item, but neither Kaiba nor Jonouchi spoke about it. Yami figured that, if they were, the older brothers refused to acknowledge it.

His musings over this humorous situation were interrupted by the familiar sounds of children playing Duel Monsters. He was passing the park near the shop, and the form of a Metal Fish attacking a Giant Rat caught his attention. The young owner of the Rat apparently lost the duel and burst into tears. His opponent, who wore a red cap, started laughing and pointing.

Yami's old instincts of saving the downtrodden kicked in, and he cleared his throat noisily. "A true duelist doesn't gloat over a victory of any sort," he said.

The boy with the cap turned around and gaped. "Ah, wow! It's the King of Games!"

Yami smirked inwardly. Just because he'd not competed in over a year did not mean that he didn't enjoy the title he retained. "And I'm very disappointed that a fellow duelist would laugh at an opponent in such a way."

"But he lost by 3000 points! He's no duelist!"

"Is that so?" Yami walked over to the crying boy, who now looked absolutely mortified. "May I see your cards?"

The boy sniffed and handed over his cards. Yami shuffled through them, taking in the possibilities and strengths of each card. "What's your name," Yami asked.

"M-Maru."

"Well, Maru, you don't have some of the basic cards that can get you out of certain situations. No Polymerization, Reborn the Monster, or- Hey, you have Marsh Melon!"

Maru smiled. "Is that a good card?"

"My brother has one just like it."

The cap boy exclaimed, "The Jack has one of your cards, Maru!"

Yami tried not to laugh. Yugi's nickname in the gaming world now was 'Jack of Cards,' and Yami teased him about it all the time. Yami handed them back to Maru. "Tell you what: Here's a business card for the Kame Game Shop around the corner." He signed his name on the card. "Ask the owner to speak to Moto Yugi, and he'll give you some free advice on deck construction."

Maru's huge, blue eyes sparkled. "Thank you, Yu-Gi-Oh! Thank you so much!" And he ran off to show the cap boy the card.

Yami watched as two more boys joined him. 'Priceless,' Yami thought.

"Moto-san?" An older woman behind Yami bowed deeply. "Arigatoo gozaimasu."

Yami gave a slight bow in return. "Iie, Obasan. My pleasure." **4**

Maru's mother glanced at her son. "He's my youngest, so he doesn't get the attention he deserves sometimes. An autograph from his hero will do him wonders."

"I hope so."

"Do you have children of your own, Moto-san?"

Something panged in Yami's heart. "No, I'm afraid not."

"Well, they are both a constant blessing and a constant worry." She bowed once more. "Thank you again!" She walked over to speak to her son.

Yami gave a sad smile before continuing on his way to the Game Shop. Peace came with its ups and downs, but life was worth it. He held no regrets for returning to Earth and living as a normal person instead of becoming a god. These moments of gratitude and happiness were worth the occasional moments of sadness and jealousy. He had said to Jonouchi and Yugi that, "Life is the most precious reward a man can get." And he still believed that.

He was wondering if he should just go straight home instead of stopping at the shop until he heard his mother's shouts from outside. Normally, Moto Furia was rather quiet, but her temper was something the men of the Moto family feared. "I wonder what Grandpa did," Yami thought aloud.

To his surprise, his grandfather was not the subject of Mrs. Moto's wrath at the moment. Once Yami got close enough to distinguish words, he distinctly heard his brother's name. 'Yugi doesn't get in trouble, unless its grades. But he's a _rounin_ now.' **5** Cautiously, Yami opened the door to the shop.

His grandfather, Moto Sugoroku, stood at the doorway by the stairs leading up to the Moto family's apartment. He turned around at the sound of the bell jingle. "Oh, hey Yami," greeted the old man.

"Yo, Jiichan." He walked beside him. "What's going on?"

"I honestly don't know. Something she found in Yugi's room when she was cleaning."

"Is it yours?"

"No."

"Then it might be Jonouchi-kun's."

"I doubt even pornography would get her this angry."

"The phone bill for calling Anzu?"

"Maybe…"

Just then, they clearly heard Furia yell, "Do not talk to me that way, Moto Yugi! Go to your room and-"

"Kasan, I'm nineteen! I'm an adult! Don't send me to my room so you don't have to deal with me!"

"Then why don't you just get a job like your brother?"

Yami cringed. Both of them hated the phrase "like your brother." According to their mother, Yami was the "Responsible" one and Yugi was the "Considerate" one.

"I won 25,000 yen a month ago!"

"I mean a steady job! Yami stopped fooling around, and you should too! A steady job would be much better for you!"

"Well, if I get an education-"

The door slammed. Yugi roared in frustration, kicked something against the wall, yelped in pain, hopped a couple of times, and fell down the stairs. Yami and Grandpa Moto caught the youngest before he hit the bottom stair.

"What was all that about, Aibou," asked Yami, trying not to laugh.

Yugi cradled his left elbow, face twisted slightly in pain. "Mom was snooping around in my underwear drawer! Why the Hell would she be in my bedroom _or _my underwear!"

"Laundry," suggested Grandpa Moto.

Yugi stood up, fuming with annoyance. In the past two years, he had grown to be Yami's exact height. At least he would be if he stood up all the way instead of slouching. Unfortunately for those who didn't know them, their similarities of appearance made it difficult to tell them apart. To those who _did_ know them, the brothers' habits told them apart easily. Yami's head stood tall and proud, while Yugi's was perpetually slightly bent. Yami's eyes were bright crimson, Yugi's were a deep purple. Their hairstyles had not changed, nor had their voices, and Yami's was far deeper.

Yami, Yugi, and Grandpa walked to the kitchen in the back of the first level of their home. Yami helped Yugi onto a stool to sit down while Grandpa went to the freezer. "So, Yugi, you're keeping us in suspense! What did she find?"

Yugi sighed. "I was gonna tell you all later tonight, since I just finished the reservations this morning. But I guess there's no point delaying the news now." He caught the packet of frozen peas Grandpa threw at him. "She found my plane tickets for New York."

"You're going to visit Anzu," asked Yami, getting a soda from the fridge.

"I'm going to move to America."

Silence descended on the room. "Yugi," said Grandpa softly, "this is… so unexpected…"

"I didn't want anyone trying to talk me out of it," Yugi explained. He pulled out some college brochures from his jacket pocket. "But I think it'd be a great experience for me. I need to get out of Japan and explore the world on my own! I really need to get away!"

His grandfather smiled sadly. 'Yugi acts so much like his father sometimes, rushing off to prove himself!' He walked over and put his hand on Yugi's shoulder. "If this means so much to you, my boy, I'll support you any way I can."

Yugi returned an appreciative smile. "All I want is moral support, and some understanding. Money I'm gonna work on my own for."

"It's an awful lot."

"I've been saving up for two years now."

'Two years,' Yami mentally echoed.

"What about college?"

"I may not get a chance to go for a while, but this looks like my best bet." He pulled out a brochure for Borough of Manhattan Community College. "They have a pretty good program for Social Science majors, and have a great reputation for international students. Plus, they accept a lot of different kinds of financial aid. If I work hard on my own for a year, maybe, then I can go."

Grandpa Moto shook his head. "Allowance money won't cover basic expenses, Yugi. We're talking thousands of US dollars here-"

Yugi took out a bank statement from his back pocket. "I have 131,1900 yen in my bank account. That comes to about $12,580 American. That includes interest, and doesn't include the expense of the plane tickets."

Yami nearly spit out his soda at the number. Grandpa raised an eyebrow. "That's pretty darned impressive for two years worth!"

"Well, I've won lots of tournaments, and I had a little stashed away for college anyway. And I haven't been buying a lot for myself lately."

"Anything else?"

Yugi grinned. "I have been working hard on perfecting my English," he said slowly in said language. "It is not very good yet, but I will get by."

"You'll need more than that to simply 'get by' in New York City," Yami said gravely in far better English.

Grandpa looked between the two boys. He knew that they held a bond to each other he could never understand. He could also tell that his older grandson was hurting. "I'll leave you two here, while I try to calm your mother down." He left the kitchen and hurried up the stairs.

Yugi scowled at Yami. "Aniki, I was hoping you'd back me up!" **6**

"Yeah," said Yami in icy sarcasm. "I'd really back you up straight into one of the most dangerous areas in the United States! I'd be thrilled to help my younger brother throw away a chance at getting into a more decent college, just so he can feel a bit more self reliant and get laid!"

Yugi glared. "That's going too far, Yami!"

"Two years, two years," said Yami, pretending to be deep in thought, "what happened two years ago?" He glanced at the door to make sure the coast was clear. "Does this have anything to do with 'past events'?"

Yugi closed the kitchen door quickly. "Yami, Mom and Grandpa don't remember!"

"Answer me, Aibou!"

"Yes, as a matter of fact, it does!"

Yami folded his arms imperiously. "Are you unhappy here, like you were as Prince Naeem?"

"You know it's not the same as that!"

"I've given you space! I don't force you to remain in Domino! I don't force you to do a goddam thing!"

"But you want to!"

Yami started to deny it, but stopped. "Yes, I want to, because apparently you have a strong desire to be put in harm's way!"

"Its not that, Aniki!" Yugi sat back down beside his brother. /Everything that happened two years ago taught me much, and one is that I will never be satisfied with what's easy for me. Life's too short, and now that I have another chance to live it, I want to test my own strengths. They are the strengths you taught me, Mou hitori no boku! Please, trust me on this./

/'/You'll be too far away for me to communicate with you as often as I do./'/

/Hey, its only about 6,700 miles away/ Yugi shrugged. /And you're gone half the time, anyway/

/'/This is different. You won't even have the security of the other Millennium Item holders nearby. The Shen alone isn't enough against-/'/

/Against what? Nothing magical has happened in ages! I'll be fine. The Shen is the perfect Item to take with me! If I get mugged, I'll heal myself! It'll save a lot on health insurance/

Yami gaped at him. "That's the dumbest thing you've ever said!"

"Its true, though!"

Yami sighed loudly. "Alright, Aibou. I'll help you with convincing Mom. But at least promise to contact me if you need anything."

"Sure I will."

Yami folded his arms. "You can't bluff the King of Games, Aibou! Promise me!"

Yugi chuckled. "You have Mom's temper, you know that?"

"Aibou…"

"Alright, alright!" Yugi put a hand over his heart, and the other in the air. "I promise that if I really need your help, I'll call you."

* * *

"You're WHAT!" Jonouchi Katsuya stopped dead in his path. 

Yugi stuffed his hands in his pockets. "Sorry, Jonouchi-kun. I know it seems sudden but-"

"Sudden my ass!" Jonouchi leaned down to look into his best friend's eyes, hoping this was a joke. "I knew ya missed her, but this is crazy!"

Yugi looked up slightly annoyed. "Your view of America is limited, Jonouchi-kun. They don't have cowboys and Indians running around anymore!"

"How could you abandon me like this! First Honda leaves, then Ryou, then Anzu, now you! I always figured you'd move in with me! We got schools here too, ya know!" He kicked a nearby wall. "Fuck!"

Yugi sighed. He was moving the next day, and at least wanted to say good-bye to his best friend in the world. He turned down Jonouchi's invitation to be roommates over a month ago. Unfortunately for them both, Jou liked to brood on certain issues. In the past three years, Jonouchi had neither lost his temper nor his childish methods of reacting to upsetting situations. At least recently he had developed a maturity in dealing with things long-term. So, while Yugi knew his buddy would get mad and probably stay mad for a while, he would suck up his pride and show him some support.

"So," said Yugi, testing this observation, "you don't think I can hack it?"

Jonouchi sighed. "Naw, I think you'll do alright. You're smart enough to survive on your own in a foreign country."

Yugi smiled. "Thanks, Jonouchi-kun!"

"Just stay away from trouble! You're like a magnet for bastards who want to bully easy prey like you!"

"This coming from experience!"

Jonouchi stroked his goatee, which he had grown in the past year. "Yeah, I guess so. Damn, time flies!"

Yugi nodded. In both lifetimes, Yugi and Jonouchi met under less-than-friendly circumstances. As a prince, Yugi went traveling around Egypt, and Jonouchi tried to sell him off as a slave. As a freshman, Jonouchi and Honda picked on Yugi because he never stood up for himself. Both times Yugi saved the other's life and was repaid with the loyal, extreme friendship that held strong to this day. And it was thanks to that friendship Yugi managed to persevere over every obstacle he had come across, past and present. Jonouchi above all others proved he would risk everything to help those he loved, and to help save the world while he was at it! This loyalty earned him to be the barer of the Millennium Eye; he was the only Item holder who was not formally trained in magic, but still managed to wield it.

"Somethin' the matter, Yugi," he asked when Yugi remained silent for a while.

"I don't want this to be a sad thing," said Yugi earnestly. "I've been really excited about going to start a life of my own. Its almost the same as when I…"

"Left and met me the very first time," Jonouchi finished.

"Yeah. I'm not exploring new terrain…" Yugi raised his head in thought. "Well, in a sense I am! I'm starting completely fresh in a whole new environment without any help from anyone I always depend on! I'm going to prove to everyone, especially Yami, that I really can take care of myself!" Yugi's tone shifted. "But I held off on telling everyone because, deep down, I really am happy here. I mean, its not like before, with my older brother forcing me to stay, and I don't exactly have any 'duties' or 'responsibilities' tying me to this city."

"Maybe that's your problem," said Jonouchi out loud. "Too much peace around here. But why America?"

"Anzu."

Jonouchi stared directly ahead of them as they continued walking. He knew Yugi and Anzu had been close for years. He remembered how upset Yugi got after she left. Jonouchi stayed by his friend's side always. Yet, as it appeared, Yugi had been planning this 'escape' for ages. Anzu's departure only fueled his desire to leave.

Jonouchi opened the door to his apartment building. "Its about time!"

"For what?"

"For you to start thinkin' of yourself! You have an annoying habit of caring so much about everyone else, you act all inferior all the time!" He punched Yugi's arm as they headed up the stairs and chuckled. "You're finally startin' to act like a man!"

Yugi grinned. "Thanks, Jonouchi-kun! That means a lot coming from you!"

* * *

**1 "Like riding a bike" – Old saying that means you never forget how to do something.  
****2 Bonkotsu – means "mediocre", in case no one remembers from last story. In the English version, they changed it to "underdog."  
3 Kaiba and Yami's duel - Sorry, Elena, but he would have won. He had Cross Sacrification on the field also. After evading the attack, Yami would have sacrificed his and Kaiba's monsters to summon Dark Magician and attack Kaiba directly.  
4 Obasan – means "ma'am" or "aunt"  
5 Rounin – An old Japanese term that once meant "lone samurai." In today's world, this stands for someone who is out of work or studies to go to a university  
****6 Aniki – means "older brother" in friendly terms**

Song of the chapter (whose lyrics I can't put up) is "I'm Still Here" by John Reznik

I had the starting date September 6th in honor of Shibby-One's birthday.

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Review quickly, b/c the update is coming soon!


	2. Chapter 2: Here Without You

_Happy Patriot's Day! Please donate for the victims of Hurricane Katrina. (I have friends there.)_

Una: I'm so happy to see so many familiar faces... er ... reviewers!  
Yugi: Don't mind Una. She's back to school, and its already driving her nuts! And what surprised CatStar about me growing to be Yami's size?  
Bardock: Yer a midget, kid. Both of you are!  
Yami: Don't worry, Shibby and everyone else, there will be lots of drama, along with humor. This section is mostly set-up anyway.  
Una: And Kudos to Ruka for noticing Yami's reaction, as well as Shibby for problems Yami and Nazo are having.  
Yami: Hey, no marriage is perfect!  
Una: No more spoilers! On to the chapter!

* * *

Yami: Last time on ANA, Yugi revealed to us that he's planning to move to America! Doesn't he realize how dangerous that can be? And why is he so determined to sneak away like before?

* * *

_**Chapter 2: "Here Without You"**_

_**September 11th - present day Domino City, Japan**_

Grandpa suggested Yugi leave some of his stuff behind so it could be sent to him at his new apartment later. So the youngest Moto's luggage only consisted of one suitcase (mostly clothes) and his backpack (mostly games for the flight). He had stuck his posters, pictures, books, and other clothing in a few boxes he left in his room marked "Yugi Moto."

"Yugi," called Grandpa as he entered the room. "Time to go!"

"Coming!" Yugi pulled his rolling suitcase down the stairs. The final _thunk _on the bottom step woke up Yami, who had been snoozing standing up against the Monopoly display. "Wha-," he mumbled half asleep. "What got hit? How many life points…"

"Need a bucket for your drool," Yugi teased.

Yami muttered something nasty about morning people, then took Yugi's suitcase to their grandpa's car. Grandpa Moto came down carrying Yugi's bag. "Is that everything?"

"Un! I'll take that, Jiichan!" He lifted his pack to his own shoulders. "Is Mom really not coming down?"

Grandpa shrugged. "She's stubborn, Yugi. You know her."

"Yeah." He had not even seen his mother since their fight a few days before. Furia turned the term 'Guilt Trip' into an art form, and her soft-hearted son normally bent to his mother's wishes after an hour or so. Not even seeing her face, nor hearing a word of good-bye, hurt Yugi more than any words she could say.

"We need to get going if we're going to beat traffic," Yami warned from the doorway.

"You'd better get going," said Grandpa.

Wrapped his arms around his grandfather, holding him tightly. "Good-bye, Jiichan!"

The old man, who loved his grandson more than anything else in the world, tried his best not to cry. "I'm very proud of you, Yugi! Remember that!"

"I will! I love you, Jiichan!" Yugi adjusted his backpack and started out the door. "Love you, Okaasan," he whispered.

* * *

Yami helped Yugi lift their respective suitcases out of the back of the car. The sidewalk of the Osaka International Airport was a buzz with activity during the midmorning, and Yugi felt like a fish swimming upstream as he maneuvered around people to keep up with his brother and grandfather. "Is it always like this," Yugi asked loudly. 

"It'll be better upstairs," Yami called back. He waited by the door for Yugi, and they both approached the security gate together. Unlike Yugi, who forgot about the heavy security at international airports in the past few years, Yami only had to remove his car keys and Puzzle to step through. Yugi took slightly longer, having to also remove his choker, belts, bracelets, ring, spare change, and Shen. Luckily one of the security guards was a fan of his, so he allowed Yugi to keep the Shen with him on the flight.

"Annoying," muttered Yugi as they checked in their bags.

Yugi's flight took off first, so Yami accompanied him to the terminal. As they got closer to the station, someone called, "Oy, Yugi!" He looked up and saw Jonouchi, Ryou, Bakura, Honda, Nazo, Mokuba, and Keiko waving him over. Keiko's twins were in a double stroller beside her, and she held up a sign with, "We'll miss you, Yugi" written in English. Honda's sign said, "Good luck in America!"

"What's this," asked Yugi, completely shocked.

"A going away party," said Ryou stepping forward. "You're not leaving Japan without a proper sendoff!"

Yugi's eyes traveled to Jonouchi, whose proud expression explained everything. He must have phoned Honda and the Bakuras and told them about Yugi's departure. Yami must have told Nazo, who told Keiko and Mokuba.

Said cat-girl ran over and swung her arms around Yugi, knocking Yami in the head with her sign. "You jerk! Leaving without telling anyone! Shame on you!"

"Yugi's headin' out for real adventure," commented Honda.

"And America," added Ryou. "Talk about a huge distance-"

"From the Pharaoh's protection," interrupted Yami Bakura.

All of those with Items flinched. The ex-tomb robber was the only one among them who had no problem calling Yami "Ou-sama" or making references to Egypt in public. Luckily, everyone who did not remember took his ramblings as insanity, and therefore dismissed it. "Bakura," chided Nazo.

"Hey, Gramps," called Bakura, taking out a notepad. "There's a bet goin' on for how long it'll take Yugi to come home cryin' for mommy! Care to place a bet?"

"You can't be serious," said Yugi.

"Oh, I'm serious! Minimum bet is 5000yen, and its on a weekly basis." (A/N - around $50)

"How're the odds," asked Grandpa Moto.

"JIICHAN!"

Bakura turned to Jonouchi. "What about the royal pet? Got any bones to cash in?"

"Don't worry, Yugi-kun," said Nazo, steering Yugi away from Bakura with a one-armed hug. "Its not serious. We have confidence you'll do fine overseas."

"Then how come you bet 7500yen he'll be back by mid-October," asked Bakura.

Nazo blushed. Yugi rolled his eyes. His sister-in-law had a bit of a gambling problem. Its one of the factors that made her and his brother work so well together.

Mokuba swung his arm around Yugi's neck to pull Yugi further away from Nazo. "Heya, Yugi!"

"Ulk! Hey Mokuba-kun!"

Mokuba's long hair was pulled back in a low ponytail, and he had taken to wearing punk-ish clothes thanks to the current high school style and Yugi's influence. He had also grown quite a bit, and now towered over Yugi almost as much as Honda and Jonouchi. "Yugi," he whispered. "Thanks for that tongue tip!"

Yugi smirked. "She liked it?"

"Who liked what," demanded Jonouchi, his brother senses tingling.

"Nothing," both said at the same time. Yugi cleared his throat. "So, Honda-kun, how's the academy?"

"Busting my ass every day, man! Gettin' real good with a gun, though. Jonouchi, you shoulda come with me!"

"Naw, man," said Jonouchi for the fifth time.

"Yeah," said Keiko, "he might get booked as soon as he walked in the door!"

Some of them laughed. They continued on with scattered conversations for a few minutes, until Honda passed Yugi a small box. "Here, Yugi. New wallet for your new life."

Ryou took out a book from his bag. "And here's a good read for the plane ride. _Eragon _is one of my favorite books, and it'll give you some practice with English."

"Thanks you guys!"

"Oh, wait!" Mokuba opened his laptop case he always carried around. "And this is from me an' Keiko." He handed Yugi a wrapped box. Yugi tore off the wrapping, handed the bow to the kids to play with, and opened the box. It was a silver watch with a black leather wristband. Inscribed on the back was the message: "Never forget your friends."

Yugi smiled at Keiko's gleeful face and Mokuba's proud one. "Thanks you two. All of you! This is awesome!"

Nazo came up to him and put a string necklace around him with a small pendant in the shape of a vulture. "That's for protection." She kissed his forehead. "And that's for luck. Yugi-kun, are you crying?"

Yugi sniffed and looked away. "No! Of course not!"

Nazo smiled. Yami put a hand on his wife's shoulder, then gathered his family into a group hug. "We're gonna miss you too, Yugi-kun," said Nazo. "You come back soon, at least for a visit!"

"Not too soon, though," said Yami. "Make sure you're settled in first. You need a decent apartment, a job-"

Yugi sniffed again and wiped his face. "What was your bet, Aniki?"

"Yugi, don't be-"

"Just tell me."

Yami mumbled embarrassed, "End of November."

"You're not the latest anymore, Pharaoh," piped up Bakura. He gave Yugi an evil grin; seeing Yugi upset over the bet made this more fun! "Most everyone booked up September and October. The rumpen clocked in for Christmas week!" **1**

"Quit callin' me that," snapped Jonouchi. To Yugi, he said, "You'll be home for Christmas, ne? I don't think you'll come back for keeps! Just come home for the holidays!"

"Aw! Puppy and master are gonna be separated!"

"Yami, shut up," snapped Ryou.

"What? Everyone knows that without his brother or guard dog, he won't last an hour alone in America!"

"You know that's not true," said Keiko in a warning tone.

"Right," said Bakura sarcastically, "and I'm king of the leprechauns!" **2**

Keiko stomped hard on Bakura's sandaled foot, causing the latter to start cursing in Arabic.

The speaker called out Yugi's flight number, and he quickly put his gifts into his backpack. The girls embraced him one more time. Ryou shook his hand, giving final notes of encouragement. Yugi mussed the twins' hair, and Honda mussed his. Jonouchi pulled him into a final headlock. They all stayed behind as Yami walked Yugi to the gate.

"Do you have everything you need," asked Yami.

"Un," responded Yugi.

"Visa? Passport? Bank card?"

"Yami!"

Yami nodded. "I know, I know, quit mothering you!"

"You're always protecting me. Thanks." He paused, standing eye-to-eye with the brother he respected beyond anyone else. "I'm really gonna miss you."

Yami smirked softly. "Oh, one more thing." He took out his wallet.

"Yami, I said I didn't want money…" But instead Yami took out a card and handed it to Yugi. Yugi's mouth dropped. "Yami… The Dark Magician! Your favorite card?"

Yami put his hand on Yugi's shoulder. "Take care of Mahado, Aibou." He pulled Yugi into a quick embrace before the stewardess called out for final boarders. "Ja ne, Younger Brother!"

"Sayonara, Yami-kun!"

* * *

The plane flight was long and bumpy. Yugi had only been flying once before, and he had hoped it would be easier on him. But by the time he finished his book, he considered summoning one of his monsters to take him the rest of the way! Reluctantly, he switched planes in Seattle to travel the final 3,000 miles to end up in New York City. 

Tired, irritated, and hopelessly jetlagged, Yugi collapsed in one of the seats beside the terminal. 'God, I think I'd trade half my deck for some Tylenol,' he thought miserably, hugging onto his backpack as a pillow. 'I want to curl up and sleep, but I'd better get my luggage and rent a hotel room.'

He crouched beside the baggage claim. The various bags tired with colored ribbon made his head spin. 'Water,' he remembered. 'Yami said water helps.' He slowly made his way to the water fountain.

"You okay, pal," asked a man behind him.

"Mizuuu…" **3** Yugi mumbled as he took another long drink.

"Pooah kid." The man patted Yugi's rump. "Hope ya feel bettah!"

'Americans sure seem friendly enough,' Yugi thought. He wiped his mouth sleepily. 'I wonder if there's a food court around.' He reached into his back pocket, only to find nothing there.

"Uh?" Yugi checked his other pockets. 'My wallet is missing!' He dumped out his backpack. 'Not here or here or here or here! What happened!'

He blinked. 'That man… He picked my pocket!' His head whipped back and forth, causing the room to sway. 'Bad idea. FUCK! I didn't even notice what he looked like!' He stared at the contents of his pack, hoping they would stand still. 'Most of my cash was in that wallet! And my bank card! What am I gonna do?'

Yugi slowly stood. 'Wait! I think I have extra copies of my important papers in my bag!' He hurried to the baggage claim.

The whole area was nearly empty, except for a few security guards. Yugi ignored the dizziness as he searched frantically for his bag. 'No no no no no no! No way my luck is this bad!'

"Hey kid!"

Yugi kept his eyes on the large, black, female security guard standing to one side. "You lost?"

"What?" God, his head hurt!

The woman spoke slower, as if speaking slower English to a foreigner ever really helped! "Did… you… lose… your… mother… or… something?"

"No," replied Yugi, feeling too awful to snap at her for assuming he was a child. "I come alone. But I lose my bag here."

"Sorry I can't help ya," she said. "If you'd've seen the robber-"

"I did not."

"Well, welcome to New York!" She turned away to watch a basketball game on a TV in a nearby window. "Hope nothin' impo'tant was in dere."

'Nothing very important,' thought Yugi, walking to the double doors. 'It only held my clothes, my toothbrush, deodorant, my visa, and some other unimportant papers!' He opened his bag to let the guard check for something, then continued on. '"Welcome to New York," she says! What a fucking awesome city!'

The teenager wandered down the streets, hoping to find a quiet corner somewhere so he could think of what to do next. Unfortunately for him, 'quiet' inside New York City was far more difficult to find than he expected. Having traveled half way across the globe, he now faced the noise, traffic, and bustle of mid-morning. Mothers escorted their crying children across the street. Men in business suits checked their watches, complained loudly, and hurried off to their respective office buildings. Horns honked as cab drivers swore loudly at pedestrians. Street venders called out to the oddly conspicuous tourists as they took snapshots of fire hydrants, bus stops, and other useless aspects of the city.

'Why did Anzu want to move here?'

Figuring he had little other choice, he found a semi-quiet alley, sat down, and opened his backpack. Everything was in disarray, since he had re-packed so quickly. 'Let's see what I actually have! Hmm, two crossword puzzle books… not interested. _Eragon_… cool, but doesn't help me. A CD player and CDs… maybe I could pawn them. Some gum…' He pulled out the box that held the watch Mokuba and Keiko gave him. 'No way! I'm not trading this for money!'

Yugi stuffed it all back in his bag. "Why didn't I pack something useful," he exclaimed in Japanese.

Just then he felt the Shen react under his jacket. 'Something's coming,' he thought, and he quickly stood up. A gang of four young men were glancing over at him from the other end of the alley. 'Kuso! Why didn't I notice them before! Now I'm trapped!' He scanned the walls. 'There's a door! I'll get through as soon as-'

One of them, a particularly large one with no hair and a tattoo on his chest, took a step towards Yugi. "Heya, Chink! You speak-a de any Inglish?"

Yugi glared.

"Yo!" Another one pointed to his mouth. "You understandin' the words that are comin' outta my mouth?"

"Yes," said Yugi, forcing back a shudder. 'Maybe I can hide the watch when they aren't looking.'

"Good," said a shorter one with a chain. "That'll make things easy. Hand over whatever you have in that bag that shined just now, and we won't knock ya back ta Hong Kong."

"I'm Japanese, asshole," Yugi said before he thought better. He normally did not take insults from bullies anymore, but Jonouchi was no longer around to help him!

The other three laughed. "Japan? Like where Godzilla's from?"

"Kid's guts ah biggah dan he is!"

'God, I feel lousy,' Yugi thought, swallowing hard. 'Everything's spinning. I wish Jonouchi-kun was here!'

The one with the chain sneered. "What did ya call me, Chink?"

Yugi grabbed his CD player and threw it away. "They were only CDs! Take them!" He dashed for the door. 'Locked!'

"What's dat around his neck?"

"That gold?"

Yugi jiggled the handle. 'Crap! The saw the Shen!'

One of the thugs grabbed Yugi's shoulder and whipped him around. "Ooo, somethin' nice from de Orient!"

Yugi seized hold of it and tried to use it as a weapon, but the man threw him to the opposite wall! There was a crunch. Yugi yelped in pain. His head was throbbing now, and bright stars fogged his vision. Another gangster punched him hard in the gut. Unable to do much else, Yugi vomited on the gangster's shirt.

"ULGH!" He dropped something. The Shen sparked for a moment. Yugi's senses cleared, and he grabbed the knife. He held it out in a defensive stance. "Leave me alone," Yugi roared.

"Stupid little shit," growled the one with the chain. He swung it over his head, brought it down-

-and it was caught by a broom handle. It wrapped around the wood, and was flung from the attacker's hand. The bald assailant blocked Yugi's view of the newcomer for only a few seconds. In a flash, all four of the muggers were on their backs, unconscious and moaning.

Yugi's mouth hung open in shock. Footsteps brought him back to reality, and he held up the knife again.

The broom handle blocked it easily. "Chill out! I ain't gonna hurt ya!"

Yugi studied the person in front of him. His savior wore a stained apron over blue jeans and a flowery, loose blouse. Without the boots, the person was easily Yugi's height, including the high, puffy black hair with golden, highlighted curls. Lavender eyes blinked. "Ya'll right, pal?"

"U-un," Yugi stammered a response.

"Glad ta hear it! Not bad moves, but ya need ta get more aggressive when dealin' wit' punks like dese! Believe me, dey woulda killed ya, so ya gotta be willin' at kill 'em! 'Sobvious ya ain't a native New Yorkah if ya can't beat off da Black Cobras!"

"The what? You means you have met them?"

"Sorta." The person used the boot's thick heel to flip one over. "Dey's always makin' trouble around heah, cuz dey figuah college kids is easy prey! A lot dey know! I only take three ma'tial a'ts lessons, and I can still whip their sorry butts!"

Yugi picked up his bag. "Well, uh, thank you Miss for helping me."

The girl paused. "Sure! Anytime, pal!"

Yugi bowed in thanks and turned to leave. "Wait a sec!" The girl took something out of her pocket. "Listen, if ya need help, here's a cahd for the Salvation Ahmy on West 14th Street." She took out a pencil and wrote something on the back. "And dis is de address to my church, St. Michael's. Dey can help ya if ya need it."

Yugi took the card and stared at it. "Um, thank you again!" He walked off, face turned down in shame. 'God, if Jonouchi or Honda found out I was saved by a girl, I'll never be able to face them again!'

* * *

Around lunchtime, with nothing in his stomach, Yugi sat down in front of a public building to take a nap. The building stood out from the modernistic skyscrapers, with its roman columns and stone steps leading to heavy-wooden doors. Young people, around his age, hurried in and out, carrying backpacks and books. 'No one's going to attack me in front of so many people,' he thought. He felt tired and sick again. The Shen's affects did not work well when his will power was low. He clutched it tightly in his hand, taking comfort in the memories it brought. 'So much for being independent! I could've been murdered within an hour of being by myself! Maybe Bakura was right. Without Yami or Jonouchi-kun, I'm nothing! I can't let Anzu see me like this! I may as well call home and let Bakura win that stupid bet…' 

"Excuse me, young man!"

Yugi snorted loudly as he awoke. A stern-looking woman stood over him, hands on hips, tapping her foot. "Are a student at the university," she asked.

Yugi rubbed his eyes as her words made their way into his brain. "I… I am not a student right now, ma'am." He stood up, and coins fell from his lap to the steps. People must have thrown him spare change as he slept.

"Then I insist you vacate the premises at once. This is a public library, and NYU does not permit homeless people to loiter."

Yugi understood about half of the words, but figured out the meaning. "Sorry, ma'am." He almost turned away, but stopped when he recognized the tla 'NYU.' **4** "Ma'am, this is New York University?"

"Of course it is," she exclaimed, looking agitated that he still remained near her.

"Ma'am, I am looking for a student here. Do you know of Misa- I mean, Anzu Misaki?"

The woman took out a key ring to lock the doors of the library. "Yes. I remember all the names of current student who check out books often."

"Often? She is here often?" Yugi took a step towards her, confidence in his luck rising. "Please, ma'am, may I work here?"

"Work? Here? Preposterous! I cannot allow street urchin to… simply…" Yugi held up the Shen as she spoke. His eyes glowed white. The Shen's eyes glowed white. The woman's eyes glowed white. "I mean… I would need to pay you under the table. If you are an illegal immigrant, it will be difficult to manage."

"I am most sure you can work something out."

"Yes… I am sure I can persuade Dean Travis to offer you a job in maintenance."

"Thank you, ma'am. This is very much generous of you."

She nodded, slowly turned, and walked down the steps.

Yugi breathed a sigh of relief. "I don't know what you did," he said to the Shen, "but I owe you a polish!" He took the keys that were still in the lock. "I'll spend the night here, after I get some food." He scooped up the coins and dollar bills on the ground. "The gods are back on my side again!"

* * *

The next few days passed rather calmly. Yugi felt foolish when he found out the word "maintenance" meant he was a janitor, but knew better than to complain. He had called the bank and discovered all of his savings gone! And without money, a visa, or much else to his name, he had very few options. 

Mrs. Prince, the library manager, had all the warmth of a snowman (and as far as Yugi was concerned, the sex appeal of one too!). She constantly shrieked for him, the name "Moto" echoing through the enormous library, and ordered him to do various tasks for her, criticizing him with words he did not know. If he dropped a book, she yelled, "Silence, Moto! This is a library! Be courteous to the students!"

During his short breaks, Yugi ate bread and jerky he bought with his meager earnings. After hours, Yugi hid in the basement until Mrs. Prince locked up. He spent his nights reading English text books or looking up the words his shrew of a boss called him earlier.

'One thing's for certain,' thought Yugi as he found the word "vagabond", 'my vocabulary is going to improve! She doesn't realize how much her cackling is actually helping me!'

Still, Yugi longed for a friend. He daily considered calling home, but thought they might figure out he was lying when he said he was 'fine.' He was far from 'fine.' His stomach ached, his clothes weren't warm enough for the chilly September nights, the rats were the size of dogs, the city noise kept him awake most of the night, and he swore he heard gunshots a few times right outside the library!

All of this loneliness could be over the moment he called home and asked Yami to pick him up. It would be that easy!

_"There's a bet going on for how long it'll take Yugi to come home cryin' for mommy!"_

_"Apparently you have a strong desire to be put in harm's way!"_

_"You're finally startin' to act like a man!"_

He ran his fingers over the Dark Magician. "I can handle this, guys. All I need is someone _here _to help me. But how many strong, loyal friends are there in the world?"

On Saturday, Yugi took Mrs. Prince's 'advice' and took his clothes to the Laundromat several blocks away. He took turns washing his uniform while wearing his street clothes, then switching in the restroom to wash those. It cost him more money, but at least his boss wouldn't complain about the 'hideous odor' anymore.

On his way back to the library, he came across a commotion on the sidewalk blocking his way. A man was throwing some things out of an apartment building, and arguing very loudly with someone inside.

Yugi had grown accustomed to noise by now, but he thought he recognized the voice of the person inside the apartment. He stopped to watch.

"I've taken yer freakiness fer the last time, Terri! I could stand it if you only-"

"… you're always puttin' me down when you…

"Save it for Oprah you little…"

"… never listen ta a word I…"

"I mean, at first it was cute, but then I found out you're…"

"I pay fer every'ting! Even da fuckin' cable!"

"Ya lied ta me! It ain't worth it, I tell ya!" With this, the man gathered up his things into a yellow cab and hopped inside. The brawny man held a small box. "And I paid fer halfa dese, so I git 'em!"

Yugi saw the girl who saved him several days ago run out chasing the man. She was wearing a long nightgown and robe. "Wait up, ya bastard! I ain't finished wit' you!"

The cab started to move out, but the girl grabbed the bumper and lifted the car! The wheels of the taxi spun on the street, kicking up mud and water onto her robe. "What the Hell," the driver exclaimed.

The man said something, but her voice carried out louder. "GIVE 'EM BACK!"

"…freak's liftin' the car," the driver said.

"GIMME BACK MY CARDS!"

The man stuck his upper body out the window. He held up a bunch of Duel Monster cards. "Want 'em, freako! Catch!" He threw them to the sidewalk.

"NOO!" She let go of the taxi, which sped off into the street, and dove to catch her cards. They scattered all over the place.

Yugi dropped his bag to help her pick them up. As he did, he took note of the cards. All of them were either Warrior-type monsters or Equip magic cards that really didn't go with each other. 'She may collect them, but she probably doesn't know much about the game. Even Yami would have trouble using these!'

"Aw man!" The girl held up a dripping wet card that had fallen in the gutter. "I don't believe dis! I gotta have da worst luck wit' findin' roommates! Really, ya'd t'ink some people'd give some respect ta othah human beings!"

"These are good cards," Yugi commented in an attempt to cheer her up. "Horus the Black Flame Lv. 4 is rare, but its not good without the support of its level family. And Null and Void trap card is not very effective unless you collect-"

"Oh my Gawd!"

Yugi jumped at the girl's shout. She pointed at him in shock, as if he materialized out of thin air. "You… You're… Do you know who ya are?" Before Yugi wondered if he understood the question correctly, she said, "Yer one o' the Moto brothers!"

"Uh… Yeah… I am Yugi Moto."

Her lavender eyes sparkled. "I'm a huge fan! I may not duel profess'nally, but I collect cahds, I watch da tourneys an' every-ting!" She shook his arm up and down vigorously. "I didn't recognize ya last week 'til I got home an' took a gander at my scrapbook!" She stopped shaking him to stare directly. "Hey, did you really date Rebecca Hawkins?"

"What? No!"

The girl somehow looked happier. "Want some food? I'll make ya some dinnah!" She pulled him up with one arm. "Come in! Come in!"

'Food!' Yugi grabbed his bag of clothes and followed her inside.

Her apartment was a mess. A TV sat in one corner of the small living room across from an old, beige couch. A cluttered two-person table, three chairs tipped over, the remains of a fourth chair in splinters beside he door, and a desk were the only sticks of furniture in the kitchen-dining room, with a large fridge next to a stove, sink, and oven.

But what caught Yugi's immediate attention were the walls. He could have sworn to the name of Osiris that he had entered an ice cave. The white walls with blue detail shimmered and glistened, as if real watered dripped from the stalactites on the ceiling. He felt as though his body temperature dropped just looking at the dark blue horizon of an on-coming storm. Perhaps, if he touched an ice crystal, it would melt under his hand. He turned around and dropped his bag. On the wall closest to the door was an orange dragon frozen amidst the icy crags of the cave. It towered as a pillar of rage above the doorway. Yugi stared into the gleaming white eyes, waiting for it to blink.

"Yo, Yugi! Ya like Italian food?"

Why didn't her voice echo? Didn't she get lost in the cave?

The girl walked over to stand next to him. "Like 'im? Don't get too attached; he's comin' down in a couple 'o days!"

"Its so realistic…"

"Dis is nothin'! I'm gonna be a famous a'tist someday! One day, I'll have paintings sold ta museums all ovah da world! Everywhere'll be at least one 'Don Torriello' paintin'! That reminds me," she said with a grin. "Name's Terri, Terri Toriello: Paintah, set designah, an' chef extraordinaire!" She gently pulled Yugi away from the base of the dragon. "C'mon! Let's eat!"

"Uh, yeah. Thank you very much!" Yugi sat down on one of the wobbly chairs. "You are too kind."

"Think nothing' of it! I got some scungilli marinara left ovah from las' night! I know it prob'ly ain't what yer used to, bein' a celebrity 'n all-" **5**

"Sorry, 'celebrity'?"

"Yer so famous, and ya must be loaded! Me, I got a part time job ovah at Bagatelli's Paradise to sneak food ta eat! Dat's the problem wit' havin' a wine taste on a beer budget!"

Yugi shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "I have nothing much either, really. Yami has some money, but I lost most of my winnings when I came here. It was stolen from me at the airport. I do not wish to trouble my brother, so I am trying to live here on my own. It has been hard…" Yugi stopped abruptly as Terri set a plate of whelks swimming in sauce. "Dig in!"

Yugi barely even noticed the taste as he devoured his plate. The aroma, the texture, the flavor all hit him as he slowed down at the end of the dish. "Mmm," he said in earnest to show his appreciation. "What is this again?"

"Scungilli's a type o' seafood." Terri sat down opposite Yugi, apparently calming down for the first time since they had met. "If yer not doin' well, why not go home?"

Yugi blushed a little, paying attention to his remaining snail. He really did not want to pour his heart out to a person he'd only just met.

"It's a girl, huh?"

Yugi's blush deepened. "How do you know?"

"I'm Italian! We know love bettah then da Frenchies pretend to!" Terri opened a bottle of Dr. Pepper and sat down leisurely. "So, what's hah name?"

Full with warm food, and more comfortable than he had been in nearly a week, Yugi explained about Anzu leaving to America, his plans for meeting with her, the bet his friends had made, and his experiences thus far. Although he didn't know much English, he somehow felt Terri did not mind his slow diction. The young woman seemed to really enjoy the story! "So I want to be more better off when I meet with her again. I know it will be difficult, but I will not give up! Anzu is worth very much to me! I have to find her!" He took a drink from Terri's soda.

Terri's eyes doubled in size and sparkled with unshed tears. "Dat's… fuckin'… awesome!" She stood up. "Alright, I got a proposition for ya."

"A what?"

"A deal. You be my roommate in exchange fer free Duel Monstah lessons!"

Yugi blinked in genuine shock. "What? But, I just told you, I have no money!"

"That's okay! I pay fer every'ting anyway! You jus' help wit' gas, watah, and food!"

"B-but… Anzu… You're a girl…"

Terri walked past Yugi to get his bag. "I like girls, so don't worry! Besides, I'm a Theatah A'ts major, so maybe I can ask around fer dis 'Anzu' gal!"

This almost seemed too good to be true. Yugi's face broke into the first genuine grin in America. "Really? You will?"

"Hey, whattah friends for?" **6**

* * *

**1 "Rumpen" - Meaning "Lumpen," or of the lowest class in society; vagabond; tramp  
****2 Leprechauns - Small sprites of Irish folklore. Read a book!  
3 "Mizu" Water  
4 "tla" - means "three-letter acronym"  
5 Scungilli Marinara - Italian dish prepared by beating whelks (a type of mollusk), and patiently cooking them in garlic, oregano, basil, hot pepper seeds, and tomato sauce.  
6 "Hey, what're friends for!" was the last line in my story "3,000 Year Friendship"**

Song of the chapter is "Here Without You" by 3 Doors Down

**

* * *

**

Una: If anyone has too much trouble with Terri's dialect, I can tone it down a little, or have translations.  
Yugi: I really like her! She seems fun!  
Yami: My brother's safety depends on a Brooklyn-ite who can lift cars!  
Bardock: Mmm! That Italian food sounds good! What's Italian, again?  
Una: Ignore the dribble, and R&R!


	3. Chapter 3: Graduation

Una: Geez, this one took a while! I just could not get the words right at certain points. And not only is Keiko not my own character (making me paranoid if I'm writing her correctly), but Terri's extreme personality shifts are hard to think up!  
Yugi: She seems like a great friend for me!  
Yami: Let's just hope Anzu doesn't think she's competition!  
Una: Heeheehee... Anzu has nothing to worry about. And yeah, Terri is a perfect friend for Yugi right now. I just need to capture Terri's Brooklyn lingo properly.  
Bardock: Let's just get on with this!

* * *

Yami: Last time on ANA, everyone bet Yugi would be home soon, and broke his confidense. Unfortunately, New York wasn't as kind! I'm just glad Aibou made a friend to save him!

* * *

_**Chapter 3: Graduation**_

**_September 18th, present day New York City, USA_**

_To Yami, Jonouchi, Nazo, and everyone else;_

_Hi everyone! Sorry I haven't written sooner. Things have been a little tough lately._  
_I've got a good job near campus helping out at the library. I really hate my boss, though. She's the sort of woman Honda-kun would say deserves to be an old maid! But I'm happy enough with a steady paycheck, so I put up with her._  
_You should see my apartment! It's not much on the outside, but it's always amazing when you come inside! My roommate, Terri Toriello, is an artist and uses the walls as practice. When I first came in, I thought it was an ice cave! Now she's turning it into a stone fortress, like in those books about King Arthur! It's pretty neat. Her specialty is dragons! I think she's a little crazy. She talks fast and fancy, and sometimes sings for no reason.  
Before Jonouchi starts thinking perverted thoughts about Terri and me, I'm not her type. In fact, she likes girls. I think I ruined part of the carpet with a nosebleed when she showed me her "special dueling deck." Does Jiichan know there are hentai DM cards?_  
_I haven't seen much of the city yet. I've mostly stayed on or near the campus because of work. But what I have seen is amazing! The buildings are so tall! And there are so many people around! It's no wonder I haven't found Anzu. _  
_Terri goes to NYU also, and majors in Theatre Arts. She thinks she may know Anzu, but is not sure._  
_How is everyone at home? I hope you all are well._

_Miss you all,_  
_Yugi M._

_PS - Tell Bakura to shove his bet up his ass, because I'm not giving in! _**3**

* * *

**_September 20th, present day Domino City, Japan_**

Keiko laughed at the final words of the letter. "Bakura-kun was pretty mad when he heard he'd already lost the bet! Sounds like both of them took it seriously!"

"I'm not surprised," said Nazo, folding up the letter. "Yugi can be pretty stubborn when he wants to, just like his brother!"

The two young women were walking slowly through Domino Park. Nazo took in a deep breath of the cool, almost clear air as the wind brushed past her gold bangs and magenta hair. The park reminded her of an oasis; it was a beautiful refuge in the midst of a large, noisy city. She was glad she'd invited Keiko and the twins along to keep her company. Keiko, now eighteen, needed a nanny round the clock for her kids while she finished high school. Her latest one, an old Chinese woman named Mei, watched over the children in the sandbox close by.

"How is Yami these days," asked Keiko.

"Good. I called him this morning when the letter came, and he sounded alright." She laughed. "He wants me to look up Yugi's return address online to see if he's in a safe neighborhood!"

Keiko shook her head. "You're kidding!"

"No! He also asked if you could somehow use your magic to figure out if Yugi's in trouble using this letter. That is, unless the "Samantha Stevens" complex is still in affect." **1**

Keiko shook her head again, her curls bouncing happily. "Nope! Seto's getting more used to the idea of having a shaman for a wife. You know, just as long as he doesn't have to deal with it, he's fine. I can't wait to see if the twins have powers!" Keiko looked directly into Nazo's violet eyes, grinning. "So, how do you think Yami would feel about a magical family?"

"I think Yami would mind his own business," said Nazo, watching some people play Frisbee with their dog. "He may have been Seto's cousin in the past, but they've made it perfectly clear that their present day relationship is nothing more than ex-rivals and businessmen."

Keiko's grin twitched. "So… Is that letter the only reason you asked me out today?"

"That was my excuse to see you. I'm being paid by your company to test software, and anything short of an apocalypse is not a valid excuse to Kaiba Seto for slacking off!"

Keiko frowned. This was the fourth time in the past half hour Nazo avoided her hints at where to steer the topic of conversation. Either the elder of the two did not mean to be rude and unintentionally changed the subject, or she enjoyed tormenting the young shaman by avoiding her. Considering Nazo's mastery of semantics, the latter was far more possible. 'She's keeping such a juicy secret from me, and I'm her best friend! I want to give her the chance to tell me herself! But it's driving me nuts!'

"Oh, there was something," said Nazo.

"Yes," asked Keiko, anime cat ears perking up to hear.

"I found the entire series of 'The Prince of Tennis' the other day, and I thought that we could watch some while the twins are taking their nap. Remember, you were talking about it the other day, and…" She trailed off when Keiko turned away, a dark cloud of annoyance over her head. "I thought you said you liked Sadahara Inui." **2**

"I do, but I'm not in the mood for anime."

Nazo's jaw dropped. "Are you sick?"

"You said that you've felt sick lately. And feeling tired."

"Maybe we have the same bug."

Keiko side glanced at her friend. "I know I don't have the same thing as you, Oneechan."

"Good. Because I know how much you like to eat, and I've hardly been able to keep much down!"

"You're alright now."

"It comes and goes. I just like being out in the fresh air. I swear, if I didn't look away from my computer screen, I'd get sucked into it!" Nazo touched the Millennium Bracelet on her left arm. "Yami-sa has been busy, too. He's working so hard to make a deal with other companies to boost Kaiba Corp.'s reputation. I worry about him sometimes."

"What about you, Oneechan? How is he with you?"

Nazo's eyes turned into 'n's. "You know that saying, 'Absense makes the heart grow fonder'! And I am still very much in love with my Yami-sa!"

Keiko's face turned into one of concern. Seto kept himself busy, but at least he was home every night. Yami rarely remained in Domino for one week at a time since the corporation's international reputation began to fall. Kids overseas simply were not as interested in Duel Monsters anymore, and Dungeon Dice Monsters and Duel Monster Chess never became very popular. Seto's VRDM game and Yami's negotiations were the company's biggest hopes of rising up again.

But what would it cost? Especially now that Nazo was-

"Ma!" Taiyo waddled over to Keiko's feet. "Ma!"

Keiko kneeled down and brushed the blonde hair from her son's face. "What is it, Taiyo-kun?"

"Mei Mei mad," he said.

"Why is she mad," asked Keiko, as if she didn't have a feeling why.

"Her drink yucky," he said gleefully.

"Why is her drink yucky?"

"Tsuko put on grass," he said, miming the action of pulling out grass and sprinkling it in tea. "Mei Mei drink it up! She went like this!" He made a face.

"Why didn't you tell Mei about the grass in her drink?"

"I'm burying treasure." Taiyo looked pleased with himself. His blue eyes sparkled with mischief.

"Oh boy," muttered Nazo.

"What treasure," asked Keiko.

"Mei Mei's glasses!"

Keiko groaned. "I'd better take care of this, Oneechan."

"Go ahead," said Nazo sitting down. "I'd like to rest a minute anyway. I'm getting a bit dizzy."

As Keiko hurried off, Nazo's thoughts drifted to a group of children over by the tree. They could not be older than five or six years old. 'So cute at that age,' Nazo thought wistfully. 'Their parents are so lucky!' They were all gathered around a large mat, talking and arguing loudly. Curious, Nazo shifted her weight on the bench to get a better view.

"You took your turn already," one little boy yelled.

"Ichigo," one of the adults warned. "Be nicer to your cousin."

"But she never breaks it," whined another boy.

"It's her birthday," the man said. "She gets to try."

"But it's the last watermelon of the season!"

"I wanna break it," cried the little girl.

"I'll help you," the man said. The woman tied a blindfold over the girl's eyes. The man and the girl lifted a large, heavy stick and held it up.

At a distance, she could not make out the man's features very well. She paid closer attention to the traditional Japanese activity, oddly fascinated with the strangers' movements. Something flashed in her brain, and she noticed the man's face reminded her of her father. His large build, square physique, and graying hair sparked something in her mind.

Memories flashed in front of her. Her father stood above her holding a stick. Her father's muscles flexing as he prepared to strike. Nazo watched in horror as his features twisted demonically. The girl beneath him had dark hair, but it suddenly looked magenta, like hers. She took the stick to her full control and whacked the watermelon hard. The thud echoed in Nazo's mind. The laughter sounded high-pitched and echoed. Another thud against dense surface sounded. The girl's face contorted in a savage triumph as she finally broke through the rind, light red juice and pulp splattering into view. The insides now visible, she whacked it again. More pulp splattered out. Another thud...

"STOP!" Nazo trembled as she screamed out in terror. "STOP HURTING IT! YOU'RE KILLING IT!"

The park itself seemed to hush. All eyes nearby turned to Nazo. Many blinking, curious eyes surrounded her. She was standing only a couple of yards away from the family. So many watching her… "Why are you hitting it," she demanded. "Hitting is not fun! Hitting brings nothing but pain!"

"Oneechan!" Keiko raced up to Nazo just as she began to fall. "No more pain," Nazo murmured. Then everything went black.

-0-

"Nazo! Nazo!"

"Yami… sa…"

"Oneechan, are you okay?"

Nazo tried to focus on the person in the room. "Keiko-imotou?"

Keiko grinned. "Yokata!"

Nazo sat up on the daybed. "What… What happened? How did we get back to your house?"

"Sado and I carried you to the limo and took you home."

"But… The twins…"

"…Are asleep upstairs." Keiko handed her some tea. "Here. This'll help you."

"As long as there's no grass in it." Nazo sipped it gratefully. "Thank you, Imotou. I really don't know what came over me. I guess I'm sicker than I thought. Maybe I should take it easy for a few days."

Keiko stared at her. "You really don't know, do you?"

"Know what," Nazo asked.

Keiko grinned brightly from ear to ear. "Oneesan... You're pregnant!"

To her surprise, Nazo became angry. "No I'm not!"

"Yes, you are!"

"No I'm not!"

"Yes, you are!"

"Wouldn't I be the first to know if I was," she snapped.

"Well, the baby is normally the first."

Nazo sat up, glaring daggers at her friend. "Keiko, I'm not! Don't say that anymore! Don't talk about it anymore! Don't say that word again!"

By now, Keiko's expression had changed from that of joy to utter shock. "Nazo-neesan, what's wrong with you?" 'I wasn't this bad with hormone mood swings, was I?'

Nazo's tan face grew purple with suppressed fury. "Nothing is wrong. I have a bug; that is all. I can not... Can not..." She squeezed her eyes shut.

"I'll bet you are!"

Nazo blinked. "What?"

Keiko's mouth curled like a playful kitten. "You like to gamble, so here's your chance! I'll take you to the finest gynecologist - mine - and prove that you are... expecting," she quickly said, not wanted to say the "p" word and set off Nazo again.

Nazo thought this over in her head. "Alright. I'll bet you my new anime series-"

"Naw! I'd get it later anyway!"

"How about a nice dinner, my treat!"

"Bingo! Same for me, and I'll throw Yami in, too!"

They shook hands. "Deal!"

"I'll call Dr. Goldman," said Keiko skipping to the phone, "after I hire a sitter for tomorrow."

Nazo lay down, tired for some reason. "What happened to Mei-san?"

"She quit after you fainted. Tsuko put in more than just grass. How she found those herbs in Japan is beyond me!" Keiko dialed the number without having to look. "Maybe I should put the service on 'speed-dial.' Hello, Sitter's Chateau? Oh, hey Satsuki-san! This is Kaiba Keiko a- Yes, I know this is, like, the hundredth time! Look, I need a baby-sitter for the twins tomorrow." She paused. "No more five-star permanent sitters? How about part-time? There's only one? Jeez..." Keiko curled the chord around her fingers. "Uh-huh. That good, huh? Then why isn't she permanent?" Pause. "Studying for med-school?"

"Perfect for the twins," commented Nazo.

"Almost flawless recommendations... Works almost any time... Oh, it's a guy? Seto doesn't want any boy baby-sitters. If I do that, he'll be really mad!"

"Never stopped you before," muttered Nazo, dozing.

"What's he like?" Keiko litsened silently for a minute. "About 178cm, 65kg, blood type B, and... muscular? Satsuki-san, do you have the hots from him?" She giggled. Nazo could only imagine the girl's reaction as she watched the phone blush. "Okay, okay. He sounds good. What's the guy's name?" Pause, then Keiko's eyes bugged out. "Say that again!" Pause. "OH MY GOD, YOU'RE KIDDING!" **4**

* * *

**_September 23rd, present day New York City, USA_**

"Honey, I'm home," sang out Terri.

Yugi reluctantly opened his eyes, not wanting to move much more. "Yo, Terri." He was lying down on the couch, having fallen asleep as soon as he got home, and couldn't see his new roommate from over the cushions. At least he got a nice view of the newly painted ceiling filled with stars.

The door closed. "Hope ya don't mind, but I made a pizza at da rest'rant, so it's a little cold by now."

"Pizza sounds good. Thank you."

"Do I smell lemon?"

"The smell is me," Yugi admitted, closing his eyes again. "That old bat made me polish all of the bookcases! There are very many in the library! Floors and floors of books and bookcases!" He groaned. "I am not a strong guy! I hurt so much, I cannot move!"

After a few seconds of silence, Yugi opened his eyes again. All he saw were large, lavender marbles. Yugi yelped and backed away. Terri grinned. "I got good news for ya!"

Yugi groaned at being forced to move. "What?"

"Close yer eyes again!" Yugi complied, but they snapped open again when two loud bangs shook the apartment. "WHA-?"

"Ta-da!" She had dropped down two large boxes beside the couch. "Offerings from a distant land!"

Yugi smiled. "My things! That's great! Now I can have some clean clothes!" He fumbled to tear off the tape, but his hands ached too much from exhaustion.

"I got it, buddy." Terri pulled out a switchblade from her pocket and cut open the parcel. "Let's see what we got here… Black pants, black leadah, blue jeans, black shirt, white shirts, blue T-shirt, more leadah… Dude, ya taste is all in ya mouth!"

Yugi ignored Terri's comment and opened the second box. Inside were a few books, folded up posters, and… "Oh man! Jiichan!"

Terri peeked over and saw a Kuriboh plushie. "Yugi," she snorted a laugh, "how… cute!"

"Why did my Grandpa slip this in," Yugi groaned. He put the plushie to the side and pulled out a framed picture that used to sit on his desk beside his bed. "Here it is!" Terri hurried behind Yugi to look over his shoulder as he pointed people out. "This is when I graduated high school, in April. That is Jiichan - my grandpa - standing next to my mother, who is crying."

"Proud, huh?"

"She thought she is now old, because both of her sons are graduated. But she is not even forty years yet!" Yugi ignored the lingering guilt he still had from not seeing his mother before he left. "That is Honda-kun, one of my friends, and Bakura-kun, next to his cousin, who is also my friend. That is Otogi-kun, Jonouchi-kun-"

"So, Katsuya did go to da same school as you did!"**5**

"Yes. He has been my best friend for a long time. That is Anzu, next to me smiling."

Terri whistled. "I can see why ya crossed da world for hah! She's pretty cute! Now personally, I don' like big-chested girls, but she got a nice face. Lotsa spahkle in hah peepers, big smile that you can tell she uses a lot a', an' da spring in hah step shows she's athletic!"

"Um, she's a dancer," said Yugi, again not understanding everything his roommate said. 'She talks fast and weird. But she seems to know a lot about Anzu from just a picture!'

"Gonna read da ledda?"

"The what?"

Terri handed Yugi the note that fell from the first box beside the couch. "Oh, a letter!" Yugi opened it. "Kuso! It's in English!"

"Read it out loud. I'll help ya!"

"_Dear Aibou…_ It's from Yami! That's what he calls me."

" 'I-' wha?"

"Aibou means 'partner' or 'friend,' sort of." Yugi cleared his throat to read the whole letter.

"_Dear Aibou,_

"_I am going to always write to you in English to help you more fully understand the language. Write back the same._

"_Glad to hear you are well. Yes, I was a bit concerned when you did not contact us immediately to tell us you arrived safely, but I figured you did it to spite us because of the bet. Not that I'm angry. I trusted you to find an apartment on your own. I'm also pleased to hear you found a job already. The American economy isn't very good right now. Believe me, working for Kaiba Corp., I know!_

"_Your roommate sounds… interesting. Be aware that not all people are as pleasant as you believe them to be. Be alert, and be safe._

"_Nothing much has happened since your departure. Mom has not said a word about you, but I can tell she misses you. Grandpa acts a bit irritated, now that he does not have someone to work in the shop at slave wages like you did! He has a 'Help Wanted' sign posted. Not many come in. I think you and I were the main attractions! But do not expect special treatment there. Duel Monsters is losing popularity overseas. It's a problem Kaiba reminds me of constantly._

"_Yes, Grandpa did know about those cards. He favors Dark Magician Girl._

"_Jonouchi is sulking! He spends a lot of his time around his jobs or goes out drinking with his friends from work. Nazo has driven him home twice already! Then again, this is not such a big change. I seem to remember one night he took you out to get hammered…_

"_Don't drink over in America. The age limit is 21._

"_Nazo says that Bakura has called here and the Game Shop every day to see if you have returned. When we got your letter, I almost heard him pouting trough the phone! Although he's lost, he still thinks you will return soon._

"_And even if you do come home, we would not tell him. So come back any time you like. I'll send you the money._

_Take care;_  
_Yami"_

"Da man's got 'Mothah Hen' syndrome," commented Terri.

"Yami is too cautious sometimes."

Terri smiled softly. "Yer brothah sounds pretty protective o' ya. He still wants ya home, but he's lettin' you make da choice. He must really respect ya!"

Yugi smiled. "Yeah…"

Terri grinned. "Come on, buddy! Let's dig in!" She lifted Yugi off the couch with one arm and carried him to the kitchen, whistling a chorus of "Homeward Bound" by Simon and Garfunkel.

Yugi sweat-dropped. 'I'm never gonna get used to this!'

-0-

Yugi: Hey everyone! Boy, things are getting weirder and weirder. Not only does (censored) have his hands full baby-sitting the twins, but I re-meet someone I totally didn't expect! The worst part is that Terri has a crush on her! Um, Terri-chan, I don't think you're her type...

* * *

**1 "Samantha Stevens - Nazo is referring to the TV show "Bewitched," where star character Samantha, a witch, did not use her powers very often at the request of her mortal husband, Daren.  
2 Sadahara from "Prince of Tennis" - This is a bad joke, so I apologize in advance. Sadahara is voiced by Kenjiro Tsuda, who made his voice-dubbing debut as Seto Kaiba.  
3 Yugi's Letter - Please don't forget, Yugi writes to his family in Japanese  
4 Blood Type - In Japan, this is rumored to explain a lot about someone's personality. Think of it in the same terms as astrological sign in American culture.  
5 Terri's pronunciations - Writing Terri is a challenge in itself, but listening to Terri in my head is also a pip! Katsuya to her is "Cat-su-yeah," with short a. And "Anzu" is "An-zoo," again with short a.**

Song of the Chapter is "Graduation" by Vitamin C

* * *

Yami: Terri is weirding me out!  
Bardock: Who the fuck is this 'baby-sitter'? And why's he a GUY!  
Una: It'll all make sense next chapter. If reviews come in quickly, I'll even add in Nazo's test results!  
Yami/Yugi: REVIEW! 


	4. Chapter 4: Haruka Kanata

Una: I'm done screwing around! Its been way too long since the last update, and I've only been waiting because Keiko is writing the first half of the chapter. I worked this out - wrote around it, and her section will be added at a later date. Yes, this does mean I want reveiws for one chapter twice, done anonymously (i.e. no login to account but put your name), and yes, I may have to re-rewrite the chapter to accomadate the missing first section. (please don't tell on me!)

But I will update with a complete chapter 5 at the end of the week!

* * *

Yami: Last time on YGO:ANA, Nazo has been acting sick, and Keiko thinks she may know why. Yugi also continued with his struggles of getting adjusted to daily life in America. I wish someone would tell me something was wrong so I can try to help! _**

* * *

Chapter 4: Haruka Kanata (Far-Off Distance) **_

**_September 24th, present day New York City, USA_**

_Dear Yami;  
I am happy to hear everyone is OK. **4**  
I am writing this out, and Terri is helping me. I need her help to explain everything what happened today at the library. You see, I was helping Ms. Price as usual…_

"MOTO!"

Yugi jumped slightly and turned around. "Yes, ma'am!"

"Quit flirting with the students and finish settiup those books! I need you to take care of something for me!"

"Y-Yes ma'am!" Yugi bowed politely to the three people he had spoken to. "Sorry, ladies and sir. I must continue my job. But thank you for listening."

"'Salright, man," the boy said as he led his girlfriend away.

"Good luck to you, Mr. Moto," the girl with aqua hair said. "I really hope you'll find her."

"Thank you."

The girl bowed and walked away.

"You certainly got the gift o' gab!" Terri had introduced her crew friends from her Stagecraft class to Yugi, who in turn talked to them about Anzu. Terri hoped this would widen the search. "Good actahs can tell when deys bein' lied to, whedda you can speak da language or not! You really had deir attention! We ah gonna find yah lady love!"

Yugi lifted the huge pile of books to move them closer to the correct bookshelf. "I thank you very much for the help, Terri-san, but all of this may probably get me a lost job!"

" 'It is not so much our friends' help that helps us as the confident knowledge that they _will_ help us.' Epicurus or Hipocrates said dat, an' I think its true!"

'I just wish I really understood all of what you say,' Yugi thought glumly. "Hey, Terri-san, can you give me that book there?"

"An' spoil ya trainin'? No way!"

"My what?" Terri grabbed Yugi's arm and pulled him down a bit. "Itei tei tei! Terri, that hurts!"

Terri squeezed Yugi's bicep. "Helpin' ya'll ruin da potatos growin' heah! Face it, string bean, ya need da meat in ordah to sahvive!"

Yugi blinked. "Po-te-to-zu?"

"Ya muscles, man! Oy, don' tell me ya haven't noticed! All o' dis liftin' books, runnin' around, polishin' stuff, plus me feedin' ya all dem carbs, yah bulkin' up!"

"MOTO!"

Yugi grabbed the book and zipped back up the ladder. Working in an American library had many other advantages than physical exercise. Yugi had mastered the English alphabet and number system, as well as the word order and a little bit of slang. He received a sense of pride knowing that, no thanks to Ms. Price, he kept everything in order.

Terri checked out a book on Baroque Art and waited for Yugi by the checkout line. Finishing the stack, Yugi hurried over to his boss. The stern woman shouted at students for "studying too loudly," which Yugi knew he'd never understand.

"Moto, I want you to take these to Ms. Johansen at the Courant Institute Mathematical Sciences Library down the street." She handed him two hardback books.

Yugi looked at them. "_Wicked _and _Son of a Witch_?"

"I didn't say you should try to read them! Just take them to her! And for Heaven's sake, straighten up! The last thing I need that snooty geek to say is that my employees are sweaty slobs!"

"Excuse me, ma'am," said Yugi, "but why these books to be given to a science librarian?"

"She happens to be my best friend. Now move it! I need you to sort out the reference encyclopedias before you leave today."

"If dat's how she talks about her friends," commented Terri once they'd left, "I'd hate ta think what she says about da students!"

"Or me," added Yugi. He looked at his uniform. "I cannot help it if I sweat! I am given so much to do! What does she expect!"

"You wearin' anything else?"

"Yes."

"Den take off ya shirt! Bound ta be bettah den dat hideous gray thing!"

Yugi took off his uniform shirt to reveal a tight, black, sleeveless top. The chilly October air stroked him, and he sighed with relief. "That is much, much better!"

"Enjoy it while ya can, buddy, 'cus I'm makin' sure we take da stairs!"

New York University has a total of seventeen libraries affiliated directly to the needs of students in every department. Yugi worked in the largest: The Elmer Holmes Bobst Library. The target library he and Terri were heading to, The Mathematical Sciences Library, was located down the street on the twelfth floor of the Courant Institute. Yugi had never gone to this area of the campus, so Terri helped him find the correct building. "Why are we going to climb up that thing," he asked.

"More trainin'! You ain't da only one what needs at stay in shape!"

The two friends began jogging up the flights of stairs. Terri began loudly humming the song "Largo al factotum" from The Barber of Seville. **1 **By the seventh floor, she took one step backwards for every two steps forward in order for Yugi to keep up with the rigorous pace.

"Back when I was in high school," Yugi muttered as they passed the ninth floor, "I used to avoid gym class and sports. **2 **I even ate lunch in the classroom! Now, here I am, climbing stairs, following a crazy friend - by my choice!"

"Just don't make sense, do it," chuckled Terri, now jogging backwards.

"I play cards! I solve puzzles! I do not train for sports!"

"Dis ain't fah sports! I told ya, ya gotta bulk up a little, buddy!" Terri reached the top step and jumped up and down, punching the air like Rocky. **3 **"Wahoo! I win!"

Yugi braced himself against the wall several steps below, catching his breath. His body seriously ached! "I… don't want… to do this… again… Terri-san…" He stopped the moment he saw a hand stretched out to him.

"Look, Yuge, you wanna make sure ya othah friends back in Japan don't gotta worry about ya, right? Den give 'em a reason to trust ya to protect yahself!"

Yugi stared at Terri's hand. He suddenly realized why Terri was pushing him so hard to get stronger. Terri knew Yugi's friends were worried, and Terri was helping him prove them wrong. Terri just grinned. " 'Best friends bring out the best in you,' Henry Ford."

"Thank you for being my best friend here, Terri-san!" She helped him up the rest of the flights of stairs and opened the door into the library.

The medical library was much shorter than the Bobst Library, but held just as many books. Almost everything on the shelves were science journals and math studies of all kinds. Instead of portraits of famous authors or landscapes, the walls were lines with charts of measurements, chemicals, and other number-related notations.

"Makes my head hurt," commented Terri.

Before Yugi had a chance to search for the librarian, he heard a female squeal of delight. Something small and fast bolted from the corner desk and tackled him to the ground.

"Darling!"

Yugi ignored the pain in his muscles resulting from the girl's embrace. "R-Rebecca!"

Rebecca Hawkins's blue eyes sparkled through her glasses. "Oh Darling," she exclaimed in Japanese, "I can't believe its you! What are you doing here in America?"

"Rebecca… I - uh - I live here now."

"What? Why didn't you call me or something? Does Grandpa know? Have you talked to him?" She pinched his exposed arms. "Have yoou been working out? You look great!"

A few people turned their heads. Yugi blushed at the awkward position they were in. "Um, Rebecca, could you please get off of me, please?"

"'Kay!" She pulled Yugi up with her. Rebecca now had short hair clipped back behind her ears, wore a pink vest with a teddy bear patch, a white polo shirt, and pink pants. "I'm so happy you're here! I'm graduating this year with my MS degree in Physics! You can be my date for the ceremony!"

"Sorry, Rebecca. I'm still dating Anzu."

"Oh, pooh on her!" She crinkled her nose. "She left you alone in Japan, last I heard! I'd never leave you!"

"A-hem!" A large woman with spectacles and curly hair cleared her throat. "Excuse me, Rebecca," she said in a very soft voice, "but could you be a bit more ladylike?"

Rebecca covered her mouth, suddenly aware of herself. "Sorry, Aunt Pricilla," she said in English.

The woman looked closely at Yugi. "Are you Muriel's new assistant?"

"Um, do you mean Ms. Price?"

Rebecca smiled affectionately. "You have very nice English, Darling!"

The woman nodded to Yugi. "She was going to send me books she thought I would enjoy."

Yugi handed them to her. "I am sorry I could not get here quicker."

"That is all right, young man. Any friend of Rebecca's is a friend of mine."

"You work for a university library," asked Rebecca excitedly.

"Yeah," said Yugi, suddenly finding the green tile very interesting. "I clean and stuff. Not very good pay, but I do my best."

"How much?"

"About five dollars an hour."

"That's ridiculous!"

"Rebecca," warned Ms. Johansen.

"Auntie, Ms. Price has Yugi working below minimum wage! And he's way too smart to be working there anyway, much less custodial duties! Can you do something for him? Ple-ease?"

Ms. Johansen nodded again. "Of course I will, Rebecca."

Rebecca cheered. "Yeah! See, I'll bet Anzu couldn't do that!"

Yugi edged towards the door. He appreciated Rebecca's help, but did not want Rebecca to force him on a date or anything, especially since he had not yet made contact with Anzu! "Um… I need to get back to work. Ms. Price needed me to help her with something."

"Rebecca," said Ms. Johansen, "you need to finish your English homework."

Rebecca pouted. "Darn! I hate poetry!" She leaned over and gave Yugi a kiss on his cheek before walking off. "Ja ne, Darling!"

Yugi quickly ducked out of the library, face burning with embarrassment. "I can't believe her sometimes," Yugi muttered in Japanese.

"Liar."

Yugi looked up at Terri, whom had been uncharacteristically quiet the entire time. Terri's face was almost as red as his, but the fire in those lavender eyes foretold a different reason. "You fucking liar," Terri growled. "I trusted you! Now you backstab me!"

"Huh?" Yugi blinked in genuine confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Rebecca Hawkins! You said yah'd nevah dated her!"

"I did no date her!"

"Then how come she calls ya Darling and wants ta go out and compares hahself to Ann-zu and expects ya ta be with hah and kisses ya and-"

Yugi waved his arms defensively. "We are friends for years! Our grandfathers are friends! We fought against the other in the Kaiba Grand Prix! I have never dated her, or said any feelings of love for her!"

Terri was suddenly nose-to-nose with Yugi, height exaggerated slightly thanks to Terri's platform shoes. "You swear?"

"Swear?"

"Do I have your word you ain't interested in Becky?"

"I promise! I promise!"

"Good." Terri stepped away. "I believe ya."

Yugi exhaled. For a moment, Terri looked murderous. "Why did you get angry with me? Are you… Do you love Rebecca!"

Terri's cheeks turned a little pink. "I… Yeah. She may be outta my league now, but yeah, one day I'll ask her out." Terri stared at the door. "You'll see. Everyone'll see! I'll make hah notice me! Even if I gotta stop actin' like myself! Even if I gotta dress like da man of hah dreams! Even if I gotta totally change!" Terri pointed at Yugi. "That's why I'm gonna be the best damn duelist da world's evah seen! I'm gonna prove to Becky that I _am _worth her time!"

"But… why?"

Terri smirked. "Yug, ya moved her to be with Ann-zu, right? Wouldn't ya do anything to make the woman ya love happy?"

* * *

**_September 25th, present day Domino City, Japan_**

Positive.

The word echoed several times in Nazo's mind. Dr. Goldman had said that the results of her pregnancy test proved positive. She was pregnant! Keiko's cheers beside her went almost unnoticed as she thought of all the times she'd passed strollers or stared at the twins or-

"Mrs. Moto?"

Nazo blinked, snapped out of her thoughts. "Yes? I'm sorry."

"That's fine," said Dr. Goldman. "I understand this must be a bit of a shock. Judging from your medical history, I assume you were told you may never conceive."

'Conceive, yes. Carry, no.' "Right. So…"

Keiko glomped onto her friend in excitement. "Ooh, Oneechan, I told you! I knew you were pregnant! I knew it!"

Nazo hugged her back, still trying to take in the news. "How… How far along," she asked.

"We won't know for certain until we have an ultrasound, but judging solely by your symptoms, I'd say three weeks." He set down the folder and turned over some pages. "Mrs. Moto, if I may, I would like to discuss some practical options with you."

"Options?"

"Well, yes." The doctor seemed to shift positions uncomfortably.

Keiko caught this. "Aaron-san, what's wrong?"

Dr. Goldman sighed. "Mrs. Moto, the results of the tests are the same as they were two years ago, when they were conducted by Dr. Yamashita. Due to the excessive damage to your uterus walls, you may be unable to carry the fetus to term. This pregnancy may result in either a miscarriage or a very premature birth. There is a very strong chance you may not keep it."

Nazo's eyes were shadowed by her bangs. "How strong?"

"You want numbers, don't you," he asked. "Alright. Considering the condition of the skin tissue, plus your general good health, I'd say maybe a 20 percent chance you will make it through the first trimester. Over that hump, I'd say perhaps a 30 percent chance for the second. But only a 2 percent chance for the third."

Keiko could not hide her shock. "So little? What's wrong?"

"Keiko-san, your friend had several terrible infections in her youth." Dr. Goldman closed the folder and folded his hands. "These made her uterine walls very thin. Carrying to term may even result in a hemorrhage, that is breaking and bleeding into her system. The risk of having a child is higher than I feel comfortably handling. We may have to consider an abor-"

Nazo stood up. "Thank you doctor. I'll come back in a couple of months."

"Mrs. Moto, I meant no offense."

"Well I took plenty! Good day!" She did not bother to close the door behind her on her way out.

Keiko thanked her friend then hurried out to catch up with Nazo. She found her give up on waiting for the elevator and open the door for the stairs. "Oneechan! Wait! Please!" She touched Nazo's arm. "Oneechan…"

Nazo looked away. "Can we please leave this place?"

Keiko smiled sadly. "Sure."

The two women walked down the stairs together, through the parking lot, and to the limo in silence. Keiko opened the door for Nazo, and asked the driver to drive around for a while. He nodded, suggesting the park as a pleasant setting. "You're awesome, Sado."

Keiko sat down beside Nazo, who was already zoning out, staring at the dark screen separating the passengers and the driver. "We've got privacy," said Keiko. "Whenever you're ready, let it loose!"

Nazo waited until they'd been on the road for a few minutes. She finally gave a half-hearted smile. "I want this so badly, Keiko-imouto."

"And you're going to have it," said Keiko, putting a comforting hand on Nazo's. "Forget what Hiro said! Everything's going to be fine!" Nazo did not seem to cheer up. "Those infections… That's why you thought you couldn't get pregnant."

Nazo paused again. "It was my father, you know."

"What was?"

"My insides. When I was younger, he used to… to stick things in me." Nazo leaned back and squeezed her eyes shut. "He told me that I needed to be taught… that it hurts. That I when a man takes me, I'd do anything he said. He… he got angry when I cried about it. Sometimes it was this candlestick grandmother gave us. Other times it was some artifact he'd bought." Nazo swallowed hard. "Once… he used an old broom handle. It splintered, and it hurt so much, but I knew I couldn't complain. Even when it hurt over a week later, I didn't cry. I… I started bleeding more often. Then it came out painful and brown…"

Nazo was sobbing by now. Keiko handed her some Kleenex and held her, wishing that Yami hadn't killed that bastard already so that she could! She'd make it more painful! No man like that deserved so simple a fate as death when Nazo continued to suffer from his evil!

"It sort of healed," Nazo continued at last. "But I was… It was all a bunch of scar tissue and thin lining. My first doctor – can't even remember her name now – wanted to take everything out. Father wouldn't pay for the surgery.

"Keiko, you can't imagine what its like! I see mothers with their children all the time! On the street, in the market, in the park, on TV… I've always wanted a baby of my own! I wanted to create something – to create a life inside of me! To have something from me to prove that I was something! That I am better than Father told me! That… That I am a woman! I wanted to be a complete woman! I wanted to feel it move! To carry it! To hear it coo! To hear it call me Mom!"

"And now you will," insisted Keiko gently.

"I don't know if I can!" Nazo's tears stopped, but her bleeding heart refused to. Keiko was a mother. She'd understand. "I… I couldn't… before…"

Keiko gasped softly in realization. "You had a miscarriage?"

Nazo closed her eyes and nodded. "I didn't even know I was pregnant until I felt it. My body… My goddamn, fucked up body, burned a baby out of me already! It rejected my heart's desire!"

"God, Nazo, I'm so sorry!" A silence descended over the two women. So many things rushed through their minds so quickly that everything went in a blur. Keiko tried hard to think of something to tell Nazo to make her feel better, but what could comfort a grieving mother who never really became one?

Then she thought of someone who always made Nazo feel better. "What about Yami," she offered. "Where was he?"

Nazo ran her fingers through her long hair. "He was in Hong Kong. I… never told him about the miscarriage."

"What?"

"You know him! He senses something is wrong and worries, but when nothing is said, he just concentrates on something else to forget." Nazo held her head in her hand. "A week before we got married, Yami said that he really wanted children. It made me feel… inadequate. I felt like he'd hate me if he knew I couldn't. So I told him I hated kids. I guess I went a little far in the argument. It almost broke us up." She touched her Bracelet, remembering her conversation with her husband. "I yelled at him that if he wanted kids, he ought to find a wife who could give him some."

"Nazo!"

"That's when I explained what happened to me." She smiled a little. "He said that was no excuse to stop the wedding, and that he'd always love me no matter what. Ra, I love that man!"

Keiko made a mental note to do something nice for Yami next time she saw him.

"We didn't talk about it anymore," continued Nazo. "Once, when we moved into our apartment, Yami suggested we consider adoption. But that's when he started traveling more often, and we just never found the right time to discuss it further."

"Wow," said Keiko softly. "I figured Yami didn't like kids."

"Why? Because he avoids the twins?" Nazo shook her head. "He's jealous, Keiko! He's jealous of you and Seto having two children when he believes we can have none!" She held her left hand as she cried, "I couldn't tell him how close we got! I don't know if I can tell him now! What if I kill this one too? How can I disappoint him like that!"

Keiko held up her hands to calm her. "Shh… Nazo, I can't believe you want to go through with this alone! You married the man, didn't you?"

"Yeah…"

"Do you remember your vows?"

"Of course! Love, honor, obey, cherish-"

"How about 'for better or for worse'?"

"I don't want to hurt him."

"Nazo!" Keiko was getting frustrated with her friend's inferiority complex. 'Its her father's fault for beating it into her, but she can at least _try _to come back from it!' "Neechan, you have got to talk to Yami about all of this! He's your husband! If he loves you, he'll understand you and support you!"

"What am I going to say to him?"

"Well, you're keeping this baby, right?"

"Yes."

"Then ask for his support." Keiko's fist hit her opposite palm. "Yoshi! I've got it! You can tell him on Saturday over dinner. My treat!"

Nazo blushed. "I'm not sure I'd want many people to know about this, Imouto."

Keiko pouted. "Fine. You can have your privacy. And I'll ask Seto to give Yami a lighter load. I mean most of our resources are concentrating on Kaibaland Tokyo right now. Yami can be involved in that, and stationed here in Japan!"

Nazo stared at her, excitement clearly growing. "Do you think you can pull it off?"

Black cat ears sprang from Keiko's blonde locks. "Heehee. Have you met me?"

-0-

Yugi: Yami? Mou hitori no boku? Aniki not trying to have the weight of the world on his shoulders? I'll believe it when I see it! Too bad you won't see Yami next chapter; its starring Terri-san! Terri is the stage manager of the musical theatre department's production of "Footloose," and has had to deal with snobby actors for months now. Terri hates one of them in particular named Brandon. But another girl catches Terri's eye because she looks familliar...

* * *

**1 (The Barber of Seville is an Italian comedic opera by Gioacchino Rosinni)  
2 (see original YGO mangas, particularly vol. 1)  
3 (Rocky is a 1970s movie starring Sylvester Stallone)**  
**4 Yugi's letter - censored so as not to give away Keiko's section.**

**Haruka Kanata, Far-Off Distance - sung by Asian Kung-Fu Generation; Naruto second opening (gotta love that show!)**

PLEASE REVIEW!


	5. Chapter 5: Incomplete

Una: Sorry it took so long. Ruka is my beta reader (meaning she usually proofreads for me), but hers and her roommate's computers are down, and it took a while before she got a chance to read this. Its an important chapter to follow, and I'm still nervous about it.  
Bardock: Neurotic woman.  
Una: If you still had two essays due before finals, you would be too!  
Bardock: Sayins don't do essays.  
Yami: Yeah, I can't see how after a day of raping, pillaging, and destroying innocent alien peoples, a monkey would feel up to critiquing classic literature by the fireside.  
Una: Okay, the banter I didn't miss...  
Yugi: And you updated after "Chronicles of Narnia" came out? Did you notice how no one posted anything November 18-20th?  
Una: Yeah. Harry Potter is a worldwide phenomenon. Think about it. This is an era in which people are considered the least literate since before Gutenbuerg's time. Now, because of this seemingly insignificant book series, people are lining up around the block the night before the premiere just to find out what happens next. This isolated-  
Yami/Yugi/Bardock: Quit preaching/ Save it for your essays/ Get on with the fucking story!  
Una: Kill joys.

PS - Want to find out more about the real me? Check out my MySpace page, listed on my bio.

* * *

Yami: Last time on YGO:ANA, Yugi met up with Rebecca in the science library, and found out that Terri likes her! Just what is it about Terri that makes my brother so comfortable. He's usually shy around women...

* * *

_**Chapter 5: "Incomplete"**_

**_October 1st, present day New York City, USA_**

Brandon McCaughan applied the last bit of product in his hair and looked at himself in the mirror. 'Perfect as always,' he thought. No one in this theatre could hold a candle to Brandon's feet on the dance floor, but that was nothing compared to his looks. He was 5'11," 197lbs of muscle, had sandy blonde hair, and a smile that was often featured on the university's magazine. Everyone always said that he could be a model if he wanted to be, but his true calling was medicine.

Brandon put on his jean vest with 80s style tattered sleeves and prepared himself for the dress rehearsal. Theatre was only an addition for his already impressive resume. He had already exhausted many of the sports NYU had to offer: football, wrestling, baseball, basketball, even archery. This semester he wanted something a bit different to show that his extra curricular activities expanded beyond brutish sports.

'Plus, Theatre is a major resource for girls,' he thought.

The moment he stepped out of the men's dressing room, two of the female chorus dancers met up with him. One he used to date. The other was a hopeful. Most of the dancers made advances on him. He rarely needed to say a word to them before they flocked to him like beautiful, shapely birds.

Still, neither of them interested him at the moment. He preferred challenges, and right now his eyes were on the beautiful freshman dancer, Ann. Ann had only been with the theatre as long as he had. She auditioned too late to be his leading lady, but landed the part as 'Rusty,' the supporting actress.

Some of the dancers were rehearsing already. Ann was among them. Her shoulder-length brown hair was pulled back in a pink headband. Her graceful figure bended and moved to the quick beat of the warm-up music. He had seen her routine several times in the past few months, but that didn't stop him from enjoying her figure as it twirled across the stage. Yes, Ann was very pretty. "Fine form, Annie," he said once she danced near him.

Ann dipped down nearby and flashed him the birdie. 'Feisty, too!' "Aw, come on now! Don't you know a compliment when you hear one?"

"Don't you know a refusal when you see one," she asked, moving further away.

"Never happened before you, babe!" Not entirely true, but most girls love confidence.

Ann ignored him and finished up her dance. She was better than the rest of her chorus line, but she never said so aloud. She preferred staying on good terms with all of them. None of them were really her friends. She got along better with guys.

One of the dancers complained about the strict training they still endured with opening night the very next day. 'Practice doesn't make perfect,' Ann thought. 'Perfect practice makes perfect. Every dancer worth her shoes knows that.'

The rehearsal ran smoothly. The tech crew had made their adjustments the night before, and the costume designers had little left to touch up. Ann spent some of her time chatting with the dancers as Brandon and Katherine played out their scenes together as "Ren" and "Ariel." **1** Brandon snorted when he realized he did not have her attention.

One of the dancers was jabbering on about the guy she'd slept with the night before. Ann hardly heard a word. She felt as though she existed far away from the girls and the theatre. She missed her old friends dreadfully.

"Ann?"

"Huh?" She snapped back to reality. "Sorry, Kim. What did you say?"

"I was just asking what kind of guy you like? You prefer them muscle-bound or kinda flabby?"

"It really depends," said Janet. "They have to be hard in the right places, ya know?"

Destiny blushed. "That's gross, Janet!"

"Well," said Kim, "I like athletic guys, tall enough to lean on, wavy blonde hair, a washboard stomach, and thighs that could choke a bear!"

"Ouch, my ears are burning," said Brandon as he approached the girls. He preferred the dancers' conversations over the freaky warm-up exercises of the other actors. "You ladies aren't talking about me behind my back, are you?"

'Oh, please,' Ann internally groaned.

Kim moved closer to Brandon. "We were talking about guys in general. The kind we really like."

Katherine pouted and stepped in between her co-star and Kim. "I like dancers! Proves they have good rhythm!"

Janet nudged Destiny. "What about you, sweetie?"

Destiny looked down shyly at Brandon's feet. "Well, um, I-"

"Ann," interrupted Brandon. "What about you?"

Ann had spaced out again. "What about me," she snapped.

"What kind of guy turns you on?" He looked her over for the seventeenth time that week. "I'm guessing an intellectual with class, and strong arms, 'cuz they'd have to hold a free spirit like you down!"

"Not necessarily."

"Oh?" He leaned closer. "What then?"

Ann's back was against the wall. "If I found a guy worth my time, he wouldn't need to hold me down." She closed her eyes. "He'd be so kind and gentle, I'd feel good to be near him. But he'd have a strong enough heart that'd feel safe. He needs to be smart, yeah, but not an intellectual. Just someone I can always rely on to talk to and share my feelings with. I wouldn't matter what he looks like… although he'd have amazing eyes, and wonderful smile, and a nice, soft, soothing voice…"

All of them stared at her for a moment. "How romantic," commented Destiny.

"Lemme guess," said Janet leaning on the wall next to her. "That's the only type of guys you've slept with."

Ann sighed. "It's the only guy I've been with." She closed her eyes and thought of him. 'And I miss him so much!'

Brandon cleared his throat. "Listen ladies," he said casually, "since tomorrow is opening night, I've asked my parents to lend me the boat for a small celebratory get-together."

"Sounds like fun," said Kim.

"I love the harbor," said Destiny.

"Sounds good," agreed Janet.

"My parents wanted to take me out," said Katherine, "but I'm sure they won't mind me going out for a nightcap."

"Ann," asked Brandon hopefully.

Ann was about to tell Brandon where he could shove off, but the stage manager interrupted. "Miss. Katherine," called Terri Toriello. "Yah wanted in make-up! Dey said dey can't see your eyes from up in da back row!"

"Make-up touch ups," she said to excuse herself from the group.

As she walked by, Terri's head inclined slightly to watch her leave. "Touch up no more! I think yah jus' ripe!" She pretended to attack, but Terri moved away. "Well 'scuse me, Ms. Katherine the Cursed!'" **1**

"What a surprise," muttered Brandon to the girls. "Tinkerbelle is spouting Keats again!"

"That was Shakespeare, my good man," said Terri, dropping his normal accent for a slight British one. "I was merely complimenting her on her robust nature, as well as her robust figure, which can easily bring about a Shakespearean word or two to my lips!" A couple of the stagehands chuckled. "And furthermore, sir, I am offended by the name 'Tinkerbelle.'"

"Oh?"

"I am far more like Peter!" Terri hopped onto a pew by the curtain. "I am a free spirit, roaming through impressive lands of my own imagination, expressing myself in the utmost fantastic way!"

"In a dress," added Brandon.

Terri paused. "I take it you do not know culottes when you see them."

Brandon waved Terri away. "Just go around and flit with your fellow fairies, Peter, while I talk with the other grown ups." He focused on Ann. "Now, my boat is by-"

Terri popped in between them, making Brandon jump backwards. "For your sixteenth remindah," said Terri, back to normal, "I ain't no fairy. I ain't no drag queen. I ain't even a freak. I am a transvestite!"

"And not just that," said Stuffy, a crew member, who continued Terri's speech, "he's an _executive_ transvestite!" **2**

"Exactly," said Terri. "Executive transvestite is the full glory of it! After all, what good's bein' called a weirdo if ya can't have a little fun doin' it!" **3**

"Brandon! Thom! I need you both for scene eight," yelled their director. "And Terri, stop pestering Brandon."

Terri clicked his heels together and saluted. "Yes sir, oh captain, my captain!" **4**

The director groaned. "Just have everyone get ready. We're starting rehearsal soon."

Terri pivoted around, stomped his foot, then marched off to sound the alert to the cast. He literally blasted off like a trumpet reveille.

Brandon walked over to go over his lines with Thom, angry that he had somehow managed to be led off track by the most annoying person he knew. The girls laughed and got to their places backstage.

Ann sat on a pew, going over her lines, until something very flashy and bright seemed to appear next to her. She yelped in surprise. "Terri," she hissed. "Why do you do that?"

"What," he asked innocently.

"Just… Just… Oh, never mind!"

"Ya mean dress like a girl?" He poked in non-existent dimples. "'Cus I ain't nearly as cute as a boy!"

Ann shook her head. Terri, the theatre's comic relief, had designed and constructed the set. Now he worked as stage manager. While it was true he looked like a she, most of the cast and crew were let in on the joke fairly quickly.

Terri sat down beside her. "Annie, I was jus' wonderin'… You got plans for aftah opening night?"

"Terri, you're a really nice guy, but-"

"No no no no! Sorry, Annie, you ain't my type! But I think ya might like my roommate."

"What's he like?"

Terri cleared his throat and did an uncanny imitation of Ann. "He's kind and gentle, but he has a strong heart. He's smart, but not an intellectual. He has-"

Ann turned pink. "Alright, alright, I get the picture!" Ann watched as the director argued with Thom onstage while the cast gathered closer offstage. "It's just… I don't know if I'm ready to date yet, Terri. I…"

Terri gently tapped Ann's hand. "Trust me, Annie. When you meet him, you'll wondah if 'your heart did love until now'." **5**

"Trust me," Ann said, thinking about Yugi. "It has."

* * *

Terri did not arrive home from tech rehearsal until around ten. The main thing on Terri's mind was Yugi and Ann - or Anzu, whichever he should call her now. He had concocted the perfect way for them to re-meet at the opening. The only question was, would Yugi go along with it without finding out this little surprise. 

'Well, I have fooled him inta thinkin' I'm a girl,' he thought.

He was so preoccupied with these thoughts, he had completely forgotten to call Yugi and tell him he would be out late. By the time Terri reached the door to their apartment, he slapped his forehead. 'Dammit! I'm in charge o' dinnah! He's gonna be pissed!' Dreading the thought of a furious Japanese rounin, he turned the handle.

Yugi sat in the midst of three open books, one open notebook, his electronic Japanese-English dictionary, a few empty boxes of take-out, five empty cans of soda, and a couple dozen crumpled pieces of paper. He really stood out in the solid yellow room (Terri was redoing it on Sunday), especially wearing a blue short-sleeved shirt, white shorts, and American flag bandanna. With one hand, he squeezed Terri's rubber ball (which Terri gave him to strengthen his grip), and with the other hand he wrote careful notes in both languages in his notebook. A rock music station Terri never listened to played in the background, drowning out the city noise. **7**

Terri gaped for a moment. "Ey, Yuge!"

Yugi looked up, blinking. "Oh! Heya, Terri-san!"

"Youse, a, doin' okay?"

Yugi seemed to take longer to process this question. He shook his thoughts away quickly to concentrate on his roommate. And when he did talk, it was almost in two breaths. "U-un! I have studied the whole time I have been home. I found on the internet about how to get a permanent card to stay in the country. But I need to also get a lawyer, and that will cost a lot of money. So the first step is to get a proper job. I cannot work at the library forever, even though I got a pay raise. So I must work much more harder to get a good job!"

"Yo! Slow down, buddy! You'ah talkin' fast even for me!" Terri gasped indignantly. "You've been guzzlin' my Peppahs!"

Yugi picked up an empty can of Dr. Pepper. "I am sorry. I am liking them more now." Yugi waved his arms. "But do not worry! I had gone to the store and got some food and stuff!"

"You did? Can you afford it now?"

"Un! Ms. Price is more…" Yugi looked up the correct word in his dictionary. "She is more generous now that Ms. Johansen talked to her."

"That's good."

"Want some sushi?" Yugi scanned the room. "I think I had some left a couple of hours ago."

Terri made a face. "As appealing as salmonella sounds, gimme cooked meat any time!"

"WOW!" Yugi dropped the ball and pencil once he noticed the clock. "I did not realize it is so late! I was going to give you another Duel Monsters lesson! Made a list of stuff and everything!" Yugi turned back to Terri. "I spoke to Nazo-chan earlier, and she gave me some ideas on what to teach you. I may be a good duelist, but I do not know how to teach other duelists. Not that you are not good. You only need some advice and…" He looked up the word, "experience to get better at dueling."

Terri shook his head. He was dead tired, too tired to play, but Yugi's caffeine high raged on. "'Salright, Yuge. Opening night's got my mind offa duelin' fah tonight."

"It is tomorrow, yes?"

"Yeah, but some of my crew ain't gonna make it!" Terri knew it was time to put his plan into action. "Most of dah time professahs send ovah students to work stage crew, but I don' think dere's gonna be enough! I gotta pay attention to what's goin' on outside dah curtain! I can't ordah up-start kids around half dah time!"

Yugi's face turned to one of genuine concern. "I am sorry. That sounds hard. I wish I could-"

"Aw, would ya!"

"Huh?"

Terri got down on one knee and grabbed Yugi's forearms in an over-dramatic plea. "Please, Yugi! Yah gettin' strongah an' everything! And the crew call ain't until five-thirty, so ya can come aftah work!"

A sweat drop glided down Yugi's face. "Uh…"

Terri forced his eyes to tear up. "PLEASE! I appeal to thy sense of friendship!"

More sweat drops accompanied the first. "Y-yes! Of course, I will help, Terri!"

"Oh, grazie, amico!" **6** He hugged Yugi's chest in theatrical gratitude. As Yugi babbled in embarrassment at being held by whom he thought was a girl, Terri chuckled inwardly. 'You won't regret it, buddy o' mine,' he thought in triumph.

* * *

_**11:39pm, Somewhere in New York, USA**_

The young woman shivered as she crossed the street to the darkened building. She hated walking around the streets of New York at nighttime. She knew she would not be attacked (such was the protection given to her by the Order), but her conscience bothered her each time she approached the innocent-looking building.

Ignoring the front entrance, she glided to the side window and crept through the hologram. Inside loomed hundreds of artifacts of her ancestors disguised to the world as Roman, Grecian, or Italian. She ignored the eyes of the paintings watching her, but knew of their presence. She believed in spirits now. She would be crazy not to.

Noiselessly, she approached a large mirror. The simplistic bronze designs held no warning to the power this object held. All that was distinguishable of it was the reptilian eye symbol on the top.

"Aparta," she whispered.

The eye responded with a greenish glow. The symbol of her people, a six-pointed green star within three circles, appeared within the reflective depths. She felt the same mark tattooed to her neck burn her skin as she was pulled into the world beyond her world.

Once she felt her feet hit the stone floor, she hurried her pace to a run. Her black hood of her sweatshirt fell off, revealing her waterfall of aqua hair. 'I must report to my mistress, then get home quickly. I hate this place! I always feel sick here!'

She turned a corner of the labyrinth to an area that held a large mural of an ancient creature. Standing there already talking were her mistress and two cousins. One wore his tattoo on his brawny arm, and wore his work clothes from Domino. The other girl, whom had shoulder length aqua hair, wore her tattoo on her right breast. This was clearly exposed in her black, see-through tank top (very different than her garments in the mortal world). "Chill out, Dezzie," she said as the youngest girl slowed to a halt beside them. "Time moves differently here, remember?"

"I - know," she conceded, but did not elaborate. The last thing she wanted to prove was her own weakness.

"Where is Prudence," the woman in white asked.

"Couldn't make it," said the aforementioned 'Dezzie.'

"It is of little importance. I have already spoken with her." Their mistress approached them. "Have you paid attention to your assigned targets?"

"Yes, My Lady," the aqua-haired cousins said with a bow.

"Anything to report?"

"Nothing yet," said Dezzie. "The former prince is-"

"I have met with him already," interrupted the woman in white. "I shall keep an eye on him at a distance. Focus on your target. What of the girl?"

"She has not made contact with the prince." Dezzie shuddered. The Shadow Realm gave her the creeps!

"And the pharaoh's warriors?"

The man stepped forward. "The holder of the Eye and the Rod are now in closer contact. Neither seem to suspect a thing."

"What of the Pharaoh?"

"Preoccupied with mortal matters at the moment, as usual."

"Fool! He was always thicker than his followers gave him credit for. As for the holder of the Ring?"

Hecate, the oldest woman in black, responded. "No activity since he and his former host relocated further from the Pharaoh." As an after-thought, she added, "I have received word from Faith. The Ishtars have yet to contact anyone outside of Egypt."

"This is promising." The White Woman's blue eyes sparkled with childish happiness. "We have over a month to go before the Atlantian New Year's celebration. If all continues without distraction, it will show the death of the Pharaoh and his court! With them out of the picture, the prince's powers are vulnerable!"

"My Lady?"

The eyes turned cold once they locked on the youngest girl. "M-My lady… Why does the master wish for Yugi's power? I mean, if the Millennium Item holders have been forbidden by the Pharaoh not to use them…" She began stuttering uncontrollably as her mistress walked toward her. The Oricalchos symbol illuminated on her forehead. Dezzie dropped to her knees, cowering, as the tattoo on her neck burned brightly. "Forgive me, My Lady! My Princess! My future queen!"

The White Woman cupped Dezzie's chin in an almost motherly fashion. "Yugi's dormant power is greater than that of his brother's. That stupid pharaoh has no idea what a threat he holds so dear to his heart. The Master intends to use that power for his benefit. Understand?"

Dezzie nodded.

"Good. Now, hurry home, my dear. The Shadow Realm's magic does not agree with pure-hearted souls."

* * *

**_October 2nd, present day New York City, USA_**

The theatre of NYU stood amidst the grandeur of the rest of the buildings in full life the next night. NYU undergrads were competing with undergrads from Julliard, who had opened the week before with their rendition of "Suessical the Musical." October second held the expectation of the neo-classic musical "Footloose," as performed by the undergraduate Theatre Arts and Dance majors. The lead was to be the promising son of the dean of Political Sciences, Brandon McCaughan, who's looks and charm attracted many female students to the theatre. His portrayal of the ragamuffin, Ren, was sure to be outstanding as everything else he had as of yet set out to do.

Except, of course, for his pursuits of the supporting actress and unaccredited choreographer, Ann Gardner.

The audience had yet to be seated, but this did not dull the excitement of the thespians within the theatre. The two-leveled backstage was moving with people, actors and crew members alike. They were separated by the high-school-esque groups: Actors, dancers, and crew members. Lighting was given one final check. The fly system was re-tested. The sound system was checked out. Costumes were lost, found, and given final touch ups. Actors practiced their lines and warmed up on stage. (Watching actors warm up was entertaining in itself. Some recited tonguetwisters, somejumped up and down, some even lay on the stage shaking as if having a sort of seizure!)Dancers stretched on the pews, annoying the crew members who attempted to sort the various props. **8**

Terri ordered the crew about outside behind the theatre. Each person not appearing onstage wore black so as to pass inconspicuously during blackouts. Terri wore black bellbottoms, a long-sleeved shirt, a black poncho with sparkles, and a black barret over his long, curly hair. He looked at his watch. "Fifteen aftah six," he said. "We're ahead of schedule! Why does dat worry me?"

"Terri!" Yugi carried a box of pamphlets being used in the church scenes. "Where do I put these?"

"Give 'em to Stuffy ovah there," Terri pointed. So far, everyone got along well with Yugi. Whether it was because of the nervousness of Opening Night or because Yugi was so polite, Terri didn't care.

"I got that, Short Star," said Stuffy, taking the box from Yugi.

"Where's Kathy's jean jacket," asked Broadway, a lover of musicals, but hopelessly tone deaf.

"I believe it is on the tractor," yelled Yugi.

"Which one," Mousy, a high-voiced crew member asked.

"The yellow one," he answered.

"Thanks, Short Star!"

"Why am I called as 'Short Star,' Terri," asked Yugi. "This is not my name!"

Terri looked over the prop list once more. "No crew membah uses there real name! Don't know why, just turned out dat way! Take Stuffy! He's allergic ta almost everything, so don't talk wit his nose! Dat's what dah word 'stuffy' means! Get it?"

Yugi frowned. "Short Star?"

Terri grinned. "I don' make 'em up! Dey do!" To the crew he shouted, "Somebody find me Tommy's radio!"

"Hey, Boss," said Mousy hurrying up to Terri. She bent down to whisper, "Um, Mr. Hinomura said that Short Star's hair is too flashy! He can't help out on stage!"

"Yah gotta be kiddin' me!"

"Here's the radio," said Hot Foot, the fastest gopher of the crew.

Yugi took out a pad of paper from his back pocket and wrote, "Re-di-o, musen," for future reference.

Terri checked it off. "And that's a wrap! Wit five minutes to spare!"

"Now what," asked Yugi.

"Stage crew stays in dah back until curtain! Usually we play Duel Monstahs witout countin' points! Uh, listen Yuge, dah directah said your hair's too… bright for stage!"

"I do not understand."

Terri scratched the back of his head. He did not want to insult Yugi, or his hair. But how could he cover all that red and gold? As he scratched, his fingers brushed his hat. "Try dis on!" Terri tossed Yugi his barret.

Yugi looked at it. "I look weird in hats."

"Please? Yah gotta be in all black!"

Yugi sighed and put it on. To Terri astonishment, most of Yugi's hair was now covered. He looked so different, he was almost unrecognizable! "Dude, youse got retractable spike or what?"

"Re-what?"

"Nevah mind! Let's go play cahds!"

Meanwhile, inside the curtains upstage left, Ann decided to try to get some rest until curtain. She really had not been sleeping well, thanks to all of her class assignments and after school activities. She needed at least a power nap in order to get through the night.

That is until Kim asked Ann to get her some water. Ann did not want to be bothered, but realized she was thirsty too. Leaving for only a moment to grab a couple of water bottles, Ann returned in time to catch some of their conversation. "-and she acts as if she's one of the graduates! Can you believe the look on her face when Amelia tripped?"

"Like she didn't give a damn," agreed Janet.

"A baby freshman doesn't deserve to be Rusty! She only got the part because our director is a gook, too!"

"Everyone knows it," added Marissa, another dancer.

Destiny gasped. She had spotted Ann. The stress of everything so far came crashing down on her. She dropped the bottles and hurried up to the dressing rooms. "Ann! Wait!"

"What's up," asked Brandon, who had coming looking for Ann.

Destiny explained what had happened. Brandon clenched his teeth angrily. "You tell Hinomura. I'll settle things with Kim!" He stormed off to the girls, wearing a face that made his competitors quiver.

Behind the barn backdrop, the crew stopped their own games to watch Yugi and Terri's showdown. Both put an earnest effort in stopping each other, but there was no real tension. The group was very relaxed and happy since nothing was at stake. 'This is what games are supposed to be about,' thought Yugi as he laid Kuriboh on the field in defense.

"Yo, Boss," called out Mousy a few minutes later.

Terri kept his eyes on Yugi's three face-down cards. "I place Amazon in attack mode and end my turn. What's up, Mousy?"

"Ann's having a breakdown in the dressing rooms."

Terri nearly dropped his cards. "WHAT?"

"Yeah, can you believe it," said Jamaica behind her. "Dem girls be messin' wit' hah head, sayin' she's a bitch who shouldn't be in dah show!"

"Dumb broads," said Stuffy. "Ann's a peach! Why'd they say that?"

"Dey's jealous," said Jamaica. "I'll be bettin' on dat meself!"

"She okay," asked Terri.

"I don't think so," said Mousy.

Terri's eyes connected with his buddy. Yugi - a game master and therefore excellent at reading faces - felt his brain suddenly click, as though a light turned on and made everything clear. He dropped his cards. "Terri... Is... Is she...?"

Terri nodded. "I wanted ta surprise yah, but it don't seem like dere's time."

"Whaddaya mean," asked Hot Foot.

"Remembah da guy Annie talks about she left in Japan?" Terri motioned at Yugi. "Meet da Romeo of de Orient!"

"Where is Anzu," asked Yugi, collecting his cards from the floor quickly.

"Anzu," asked all of the crew members at once."

"She changed it to 'Ann Gardner' when she came tah da States," said Terri. "Mousy, take 'im at see hah! She sounds like she needs a friend right now!"

Up in the dressing rooms, Destiny held a box of Kleenex for her friend. "Kim's always been mean to everyone, Ann. Don't let it get to you. Please!"

Ann sniffed and dried her eyes, wiping black eye-liner from her face. 'It isn't just that,' thought Anzu sadly. Nothing had been going right for her since she arrived in America! First she missed the audition for the lead role, then roommate threw a fit and walked out on her, leaving her paying for the whole apartment! Her landlord was a pervert, her professors were too strict, and her dad has been guilting her into coming back to Japan. She seriously considered giving up on her dream. "I just can't get along with anybody!"

Destiny rubbed her neck, hoping no one was listening. "I like you, Ann," said Destiny honestly.

Ann smiled slightly. "Thanks, Destiny. But we don't share anything in common, except the theatre." Ann started rolling up her used Kleenex in an embarrassed way. "I'm just so tired! I shouldn't have stayed up studying for that damn Biology test! I'm so sluggish, I don't know if I can go out there tonight!"

Just then, the door handle turned…

**1 "Katherine… the worst!" from Shakespeare's _Taming of the Shrew_, Iii  
2 "Executive transvestite." – from the comic Eddie Izzard  
3 "full glory… fun doing it." – play off of Gregory Mcguire's book Wicked.  
4 "Oh Captain, My Captain" – Poem by Walt Whitman  
5 "Did my heart love until now?" - Romeo's first words when he spies Juliet.  
6 "Grazie, amico!" - Italian for "Thank you, friend!"  
7Terri's taste in music - Just thought I'd throw it out there; Terri hates rap, new rock, country, R&B, and most pop and disco. He/She likes classical music (preferably Italian), DDR music, and anything Broadway  
8 Actor warm-ups - I have taken acting classes. I took stagecraft and worked back stage. Actors are really, _really_ strange people! These cliques are based on reality, although most dancers and actors aren't quite so bitchy. (Some are!)**

**Song of the Chapter is "Incomplete" by Backstreet Boys**

Yugi: Anzu's performance goes great, but the aftermath gets ugly when I meet Brandon face-to-face. Secrets are revealed when Brandon spills about Terri, and Nazo talks to Yami about her little "problem".

* * *

Yugi: So... Terri-san is a guy?  
Una: Before anyone says I've lied to them, remember that thus far the narrative perspective has been from Yugi, who thought Terri was a girl. Creates fun dramatic irony.  
Yami: Okay, first Zucina, then Keiko, now Terri. Why the hell would _anyone _wish to cross-dress?  
Bardock: This from the man who used to wear a skirt and jewelry in public everyday.  
Yami: Listen you-  
Una: Nevermind, you two!  
Yugi: We also got a bit of supernatural conspiracy going on, but why against me? Why not Yami?  
Una: No giving away plot stuffs! Please Read and Review! I'm not even looking for a long review anymore; I just want to feel people still are interested in this story! 


	6. Chapter 6: We Belong Together

Una: HAPPY HOLIDAYS!  
Bardock: They're over, Una.  
Una: And I was busy doing nothing last week! The weeks prior were hectic and eventful, but last week I spent hours and hours of bliss doing nothing but watching "Friends" and "MASH." Let's see, my friend in the Navy is back for a few days, a girl pal of mine got engaged, I met stars from "MASH" and "Night Court," my parents gave me the whole series of "Friends," my brother's wrestling record for the year thus far is 18-2, my cousin-  
Yami/Bardock: _Stop the pain! _No more boring stories!  
Yugi: Everyone wants to climb up from your cliff hanger!  
Una: Alright! On with it, then! Sheesh!

* * *

Yami: Last time on Yu-Gi-Oh, Yugi agreed to help Terri backstage for the duration of the play. Anzu, meanwhile, was put down by many of her fellow dancers. But her luck is about to change...

* * *

**Chapter 6: "We Belong Together"**

**_October 2nd, present day New York City, USA_**

"I don't think I can go out there tonight!"

Just then, the door handle turned. Anzu's face was in her arms in an attempt not to burst into tears again. Here it was, opening night, and she was going hysterical over a silly thing like gossip. "I can't do this," her muffled voice said. "I can't do anything!"

Destiny let out a small gasp. 'Oh no!'

Yugi stood in the doorway. He had heard everything. The acoustics of the backstage were better than the undergrads knew, and Anzu's anguish could be heard down the stairs. He hated the sound of her sobs. He wanted desperately to hold her, but did not want to shock her too much. Gently, he lay his hand on her shoulder.

Anzu felt the hand. At first she thought it was Destiny, but something was different. Very different… and familiar.

Yugi smiled when she stopped crying. Controlling his energy via the Shen, he sent a calming spell through his finger tips. Anzu's fatigue washed away as though warm water soothed her soul.

Destiny saw Yugi's forehead glow with the Shen symbol. Frightened, she hurried out the door and down the stairs as fast as she could.

Anzu sat up straight, feeling more relieved than she had in a long, long time. But her heart sped up again when she heard a soothing, tenor voice whisper in her ear. "Hey, Peach Girl." **1**

Her eyes widened once she saw Yugi in the mirror. "Yu… Yugi?"

Before this romantic scene could continue, Mousy opened the door. "Annie, its almost curtain. You need to get to your position."

Anzu did not seem to have heard her. "How," she asked Yugi.

"I followed you," said Yugi in Japanese. "You'd better go. It won't look good if you're late onstage. Not professional!"

"B-but-"

Yugi helped her stand. "I'll still be here when the show is over."

Anzu could not think of how to respond. She wished for him to be near her, dreamt about it for months. But then she would wake up, and he would be gone. "Promise?"

Yugi pulled her chin closer to him, and gave her a quick kiss of reassurance. "Itsumo." **2**

Mousy grabbed Anzu's arm, dragging her down the stairs. "C'mon! Hinomura's gonna have kittens if you blow this!"

"Kittens," Yugi wondered aloud.

* * *

The players performed with no visible hitch. Yugi found it extremely difficult to concentrate on the tasks Terri gave him instead of watching the talented actors perform. He did his best to keep up with the story. Apparently the small farming town did not allow music or dancing because of the minister warning about something. The newcomer, Ren, wanted to hold a school dance, and wanted to change the town's opinion about music. But the townsfolk did not trust him for some reason. And the minister's daughter, who was what his mother would call a "kurouto," falls in love with him and helps get the town a dance. **3**

Anzu played Rusty, the girlfriend of Ren's best friend. She had one solo song at the beginning of the second act, but she dominated the stage in the chorus dancing. After singing "Let's Hear It for the Boy," she gave Yugi a quick kiss. **4** His presence inspired her beyond the applauding of the audience. And she and the crew members noticed a strong tension between Brandon and the dancers. Mousy informed them at intermission that Brandon had warned the girls never to mess with Anzu again or there would be hell to pay!

After the final curtain, Brandon met Anzu right outside of the women's dressing rooms holding a large bouquet of flowers. "I thought you were excellent tonight, Ann," he said, grinning to show off his perfect teeth.

Anzu clenched her teeth. "Brandon," she said, "I told you, I'm not interested."

"Hey, I'm just trying to be chivalrous, that's all! If you end up _showing _me your gratitude, its not out of line!"

An anime vein popped on Anzu's forehead. "I do appreciate the compliments, and the protection, and the attention, but believe me, I have no interest in _you_!"

Brandon looked genuinely surprised, but recovered very quickly. "Ann, I only meant going out for a cup of coffee sometime. I'm not only interested in only your body." He leaned closer to her and added in a sexy, baritone voice, "Of course, I'm not saying your body is anything to overlook!"

Anzu grabbed the flowers, stuffed them into his loosened pants, and walked down the rest of the stairs towards the door.

The crew members were finishing up the final count of props just as Anzu walked up to them. "Let's go, Yugi," she said rather forcefully.

Some of them laughed. "Sack time already," asked Stuffy with a wink.

"You lucky sunuva gun," exclaimed Hot Foot.

Yugi and Anzu blushed brightly. "Guys, c'mon," scolded Terri. "Shut up! Yer animals! Dis is Short Star and Annie, remembah?"

Yugi looked up at Anzu. "What would you enjoy to do now, Anzu?"

"Anywhere, I don't care! As long as there's some food. I'm starving!"

Terri handed them a business card. "Here. My buddy Jack is expectin' ya!" He winked at them. "I've had it all set for youse tah get a private table wit a view of Central Pahk!"

"Thanks, Terri-san," said Yugi. "You are a real friend!"

"ANN!" Brandon stormed up to them, broken flowers in hand. He spotted Yugi, recognized him as the janitor from the library, and shoved the flowers into his hands. "What the hell is wrong with you? A guy pays you a few compliments, saves your ungrateful butt from those backstabbers with tutus, and you turn him down? What kind of girl are you?"

"The kind who likes guys who do that sort of thing out of kindness," she snapped, "not to get something out of it!"

Yugi stared, completely confused. "Anzu? What is happened?"

"That," said Broadway pointing, "is Brandon E. McCaughan IV, proof that money can buy everything except tact!"

"And what's _he _doing here," demanded Brandon in reference to Yugi. "No one's allowed back here!"

Terri grinned. "He's Annie's boyfriend, pretty boy! Bet dat puts yah panties in a twist!"

Brandon stared down at Yugi, thunderstruck. Yugi smiled slightly. He did not understand Terri's use of expression, but recognized the name. "Brandon? So, you are the one who protected Anzu from those mean dance girls, yes? I thank you very much for that!" Yugi held out his hand as a gesture of friendship.

Brandon looked from Yugi (still holding the broken flowers and wearing the odd, black hat), to Anzu (moving closer to Yugi to emphasize her affections), and back to Yugi. Then he began laughing. "You're kidding me!"

Yugi's smile faltered. "Sorry?"

"You can't be serious!" He pointed at Yugi, laughing harder. "A janitor? You expect me to believe she picked a short, scrawny, stupid janitor over me?"

"I would," muttered Mousy.

Terri's ears turned red from pent up rage. "Shut up right now, McCaughan!"

Brandon calmed down to a chuckle. "Or what? You'll sic your pixies on me?" He put a palm down at about Yugi's height to visually measure him. "Let me guess, he's one of them, right?"

That did it! Terri grabbed Brandon's shirt and, despite being significantly shorter, managed to lift the athlete off of the ground. "No one," growled Terri, "talks shit about my buddies, McCaughan! Nobody!"

"Terri-san," exclaimed Yugi. "Its okay! Really! No fighting, please!"

"Terri, he wants you to fight him," insisted Stuffy. "His daddy's a judge, remember? He can sue your ass and lock ya up!"

Brandon's eyes narrowed. "My father doesn't fight my battles. I fight my own." The former wrestler suddenly hit Terri's inside elbow with his palm, grabbed the arm, and got the shorter into a full nelson. "I normally don't bother with faggots like you, but you're really starting to piss me off!"

"Yah way past dat wit me, asshole," Terri grunted, trying to break free.

"Leave him alone," everyone began saying at different intervals.

"Him," Yugi asked.

Terri froze.

Brandon laughed. "Looks like the kid's so stupid, he doesn't even know the difference!" He let go of Terri, who fell to the floor choking. Brandon stood him up and put his hands flat against Terri's chest. "This has nothing! It is a man! A freak, but definitely male!" He turned towards Anzu and groped her chest. "This has plenty! This is a…"

He was cut off by Anzu's heavy breathing. She had been silent most of this time, trying her best not to lose her temper. But all of this put her over the edge. Fire appeared in the background. She growled softly, "I have had e-_NOUGH!" _On that last syllable, she kicked him out of the theatre and into the night sky.

Everyone's eyes went very round, and his pupils shrank to the size of pin pricks. "Wow," said Hot Foot in awe.

"Mon had it comin' to him," said Jamaica.

"Great going, Ann," exclaimed Mousy. The rest of the crew members gave her similar affirmations and praise. Anzu turned sharply to Yugi, who recoiled slightly. "Let's go, _now!" _She grabbed his arm, and they both marched out of the doors amidst a round of applause.

"That was brilliant," exclaimed Mousy. "Its about time some girl belted that jerk! Doncha think so, Terri?" She looked down and saw Terri's eyes cast in shadow, his face very somber. "Terri?"

Terri smiled in a very hollow, spooky way. "'Salright, Mousy-girl! I'll lock up fer the night!"

* * *

_Dear Yami;  
__Guess what? We found Anzu! Well, Terri found her. Anzu is starring in a musical called Footloose on campus. Terri got me backstage as a crew member. That means I helped set up the props and the set for the actors during the play. It was fun! All of the other crew members are really nice. I don't know their real names, but their nicknames are Hot Foot, Jamaica, Stuffy, Broadway, and Mousy. They call Terri "Boss" because Terri is the stage manager. They call me "Short Star." --' I still like them, though. It feels good to have so many friends again.  
__Anzu was amazing! You should have seen her, Yami! She told me that she helped choreograph some of the dances herself! She is really so wonderful! We spent the whole night talking in a local restaurant called 'Jack's Family Feast.' There was so much to catch up on! She told me all about her classes and her new friends. But really, it was like we haven't been apart at all!  
__I need to go now. Curtain is up by six tonight! (That means the show starts at six.)_

_Ja ne!  
__Yugi_

_PS - I will give Terri the cards as soon as she gets home. Thank Grandpa for me! I'll pay him back when I can._

* * *

**_October 3rd, present day Domino City, Japan_**

Nazo stared at her dinner, too nervous to eat. She promised Keiko earlier that she would tell Yami about the baby today. Following the plan, Keiko arranged for a nice dinner for the young couple. They were dining at the Laughing Swan CafÈ, their favorite spot. Over the two years of maturity, they now wore more conservative clothing compared to the punker outfits from their first date. Nazo wore a tight, simple blue dress to match Yami's navy blue suit. 'I wonder if I will have to start wearing baggier clothes soon,' she thought to herself.

"Nazo-sa?" Nazo blinked awake. Her husband had finished his salad and watched her curiously. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine."

"You're awfully quiet tonight."

"Nothing much has been going on." 'Mother Isis, what a lie! Why does this have to be so hard? I should be celebrating with my husband, not lying to him!'

Yami did not look convinced, but changed the subject. "So, what do you think of my idea?"

Nazo chuckled. "I think Thanksgiving is a perfect excuse to visit Yugi and Anzu! Now all you have to do is find out what exactly Americans celebrate!" 'Thanksgiving is in November, right? That's almost two months away. How far along will I be? Little less than three months?'

"I read that it has to do with family, so it makes sense." Yami took out Yugi's letter from his jacket pocket. "I doubt Aibou is telling me everything in his letters."

'Oh Anata, it sounds like so much is being kept from you these days! And it's partly my fault! I'm so sorry!' She reached across the table and took his hand.

Yami straightened up at the sudden gesture. "Nazo-sa?"

"You're such a good man, Anata," said Nazo. "I hope you know that."

Yami blinked a couple of times, confused, and then patted her hand. "I love you too, my dear."

"I'm sure Yugi's in no serious danger."

"I know. I only wish he'd be more honest with me about his problems so I can help him!"

Nazo let go, as if worried the guilt would burn from her flesh, and folded her hands. "Sometimes," she began slowly, "we try to keep things from those we love in order to spare their feelings of being hurt, shielding them."

Yami set down his glass. He recognized the start of a verbal game. They were among Nazo's favorites. **1** "Shielding one from the bad tends to make one feel isolated and neglected."

"Neglect in itself is a sin."

"Sins can come in all sorts of forms; often times, in the guise of protection."

"Protection cannot be giving in all instances, at all times."

"Of which only time can be the proper judge."

"But judgments vary from person to person."

"Every person takes that risk. It is part of life."

"Life is precious." Nazo added in a whisper. "Very precious."

Yami's patience with his wife's silence was wearing thin. She was hiding something from him, but looked sad about it. He struggled to remain calm. But anything having to do with his family put the King of Games on edge. If only she would give him some of her burden!

Before they could continue, their food arrived. Nazo had ordered the grilled salmon, while Yami ordered Chile Rieno. Normally Nazo liked spicy food. But tonight the scent of Yami's dish made her feel sick to her stomach. A wavy of angry nausea jolted her out of her seat, and before Yami could ask what was wrong, she bolted for the women's restroom.

After orally distributing the contents of her stomach into the facility, she wiped her mouth with the tissue. 'Why do they call it 'morning sickness' when I seem to get it at night time?' She glanced at the other ladies in the room and washed her mouth out in the sink. 'This is so embarrassing! Too many people are staring at me! At least some may understand.'

She looked at her pale face in the mirror. 'I feel so awful! How am I going to explain all of this to him?' She bent back down to splash water in her face. 'I need to calm down. Everything will be fine. I just have to get the upper hand in the conversation.'

"Nazo."

Nazo nearly screamed in surprise. She looked up at the mirror and saw Yami standing in the doorway. "Ya-Yami! What are you doing! This is the ladies' room!"

"I'm sick of these word games, Nazo," said Yami in a very serious tone. "I want you to tell me what is wrong right now! Why are you so nervous around me?"

Nazo's eyes darted around the room. An older woman, a young woman, and a little girl stood frozen beside one of the stalls. Another woman was behind Yami, and she walked off to tell the manager. Nazo hated being the center of attention. "Yami," she hissed. "You're making a scene!"

"I could not care less." He began walking towards her. He was the same height as her, but somehow seemed much bigger when upset. "You have been avoiding me all week, and tonight you've been avoiding my eyes. Any good poker player knows that is a sign of secrecy."

She backed away up against the wall. "Leave it to you to make a game reference!"

Yami hit his left fist against the wall above Nazo's right shoulder. "I'm not playing around, Nazo!"

She glared. She refused to be intimidated like this! Not anymore! Not by anyone! "How will you know I'm bluffing or not, Yu-Gi-Ou?"

"I know you."

"Odd. You've been away so much, I'd hardly noticed."

Yami leaned in closer, their noses nearly touching. "I took this job," he hissed, "to give you security. So I can treat you like the queen that you are!"

"I don't want a pharaoh to treat me like a queen! I want a man to treat me like a woman!"

Bad move! Low blow! Red flag! After a few gasps from onlookers, Nazo realized the implications in her wording. Yami didn't seem to react at all, and this frightened Nazo even more than shouting. "Yami… I didn't mean…"

Yami straightened up, face in shadow. "So that's it," he said slowly. His crimson eyes could be seen in the shadow, as could the faded Eye of Horus on his forehead. "So that's the big secret. You're seeing someone while I'm overseas? Or am I simply lacking in 'treating you like'-"

SMACK! He moved to the left a few inches at the force of Nazo's blow. He stared up at her, and could have sworn he saw a magic field around her in her fury. "Don't you dare talk to me like that! I love you! I died for you! And you repaid me with loneliness! I want _you_, you jealous bastard! I want my husband to be my security, nothing money can buy! I want you! I want home! I want family!" She sidestepped him and ran out of the café.

* * *

Nazo's instincts lead her to the beach outside the café. She hadn't bothered to put her shoes back on when she left, and the soft sand slowed her journey. The chilly, early-autumn breeze whipped her long hair behind her as she slowed to a jog at the water's edge. Why did she end up here? What was pulling her to this spot when the tide was coming in? 

She collapsed to her knees, letting her tears fall. 'How could things have gotten so messed up? I haven't lost my temper with him since…' She remembered the first time she and Yami came to the café. Back when she thought she was crazy, she and Yami talked on the beach, and she confessed her visions of the past. He also confessed about his true identity, and Nazo slapped him for his deception.

"But it wasn't deception," she recalled. "He really was a pharaoh long ago, and I was his queen. He's been nothing but completely honest with me ever since. And I'm keeping secrets!"

She took a handful of sand and let it slip between her fingers. "I have to stop this," she decided. "I'm going to talk to him! I'm going to tell him, now!"

She stood up and turned around. Several feet away, Yami stopped his progress of following her once he was noticed. The moon cast his face in shadow, but his eyes remained aglow. The hatred and anger had melted away, and now the majestic red eyes of her beloved only held compassion and concern, all for her. They remained there, immobilize, except for the wind blowing their bangs gently to the side.

"Your eyes still sparkle in the moonlight," he said quietly, taking in her beauty. The moon lit up her features. He took in every lock of hair, every wrinkle of her dress, every motion of her large, violet eyes.

"Yours glow," said Nazo. "Always have. Even back then."

He slowly closed the distance between them with his swift, confident strides. "This spot," he said, "is where all the elements of the Earth can meet to comfort or condemn. In the night, it is where darkness and moonlight work together…"

"To warm you like a blanket," finished Nazo.

Yami stood in front of her. He gently brushed her bangs from her face, caressing her tan skin. "I have made you unhappy." It was a statement, not a question.

"No. I'm sorry. I said terrible things."

"I did not realize you were so unhappy." He let his hand stay on her cheek, drawing her closer. "Would you like me to quit my position at Kaiba Corp.?"

"No! Please don't!"

"I would, if you asked me to." His hand fell behind her neck. "I'll do whatever you wish, my Egyptian beauty."

Nazo looked down and shook her head. "Just… just be home more often. I need you right now, more than ever."

Yami moved to hug her from behind. He wrapped his toned arms around her neck and ribs. She could feel his cheek against her ear, and felt his hot breath against her neck. "I love you," he whispered.

"And I you."

"I worry about you."

She chuckled. "You worry for a living!"

"I could feel it." He kissed her neck. "There is something that has been troubling you. I've been worried… What could be so terrible that you must keep it from me, to shield me? My imagination has been getting the better of me, Nazo-sa." He squeezed her tenderly. "There is so much that can harm you that – with all the powers I can call upon – I cannot protect you." One arm lowered to feel her heartbeat. "I don't want to lose you ever again."

Nazo put her hand on Yami's. "You never really have."

"Let me share your burden. I beg you!"

Nazo took a moment to feel Yami's heart beating against her back. It was so steady and strong. Just like his arms. In his arms, she really did feel protected from everything.

A warm rush of emotion washed over her. Such a wonderful feeling, she sighed with pleasure. But it was not she; this raw emotion was far too pure. 'You can already sense your father's love, don't you,' she mentally asked the baby.

Suddenly, Yami loosened his arms a little. She could feel the rest of his body tense. 'He knows you're here!'

"Did you sense something just now," Yami whispered, on alert.

'Tell him you're here,' she asked her child. 'Tell him what I can't!' With this, she took Yami's hands and placed them on her abdomen.

The force of their baby's emotion increased and mixed with happiness and excitement. It seemed to be calling, "I'm here! I'm here!" The water parted at their feet from the energy the child gave off. For a few, fleeting moments, the couple's souls filled with pure love, and they shone dimly with an immaculate light.

When this ebbed away, Yami let go and stumbled backwards. Nazo turned to face her husband. He gasped for breath, staring in absolute shock at her midsection. "N…" He couldn't speak for several seconds, so matter how hard he tried. "N… Na… Bu… Then… I thought… Those do-… You can't… We can't… What…"

'Best explain before he has a stroke!' "Anata… I may not be able to keep it."

Yami's face turned from shock to confusion and fear. "What?"

"I'm still… My body may not be able to keep our baby."

Yami's normally quick mind struggled to catch up. "O… our baby…" Forming the words made it all seem more real to him. "Our baby!"

"Yami, please focus!" She lifted his chin to face her eyes. "I saw Keiko's gynecologist yesterday. He said I'm still at a very high risk for a miscarriage. And even if I don't, I can't get big enough to carry to term. For my safety, he suggested an abortion-"

Anger filled Yami's being at the thought of anyone touching his child!

"-but I turned it down." She grasped his hands tightly. "Anata, we were told that it'd be a miracle for us to conceive. This is our miracle!" She started crying. "I can't give it up! I want to have our baby!" She fell into his arms sobbing.

Yami held her close, thinking deeply about what she said. After a time, he stroked her hair and said, "You will be fine, Nazo-sa. Nothing will happen to you."

"But, the baby-"

"Will be born alive and with the gods' blessings." He looked at her. "They gave us a second chance at life. And now they honor you with a child, and me with an heir. Our miracle will not be wasted."

"I wish I had your faith."

Yami smirked. "I'll tell you one thing you will have."

"What?"

He touched her forehead with his. "The family we have always wished for!"

She laughed through her tears. He lifted her up and kissed her stomach. "We're going to have a baby!" He spun her around.

* * *

**_October 6th, present day New York City, USA_**

Now that Yugi did not have to work weekends, he spent as much time with Anzu as he could. Anzu seemed to want Yugi with her at all times, as if she expected to wake up from a wonderful dream at any moment. Yugi could not get over finally having her in his arms after so many months. And she still loved him! No matter how long they had been apart, Anzu still loved him!

After the show on Saturday, the couple went out to a club for some drinks. Two Hurricane Bacardis later, Anzu dragged Yugi onto the dance floor. Time flew by. Before long, it was two o'clock, and Anzu said she had a paper to work on. They took their time walking to the nice apartment complex only a block away from the school, where Anzu shared a one-bedroom apartment with Destiny. Yugi kissed Anzu goodnight, and she shut the door.

Still humming the American 80s music from the club, Yugi walked down the hall to his place in high spirits. What a night! He had blown a good deal of money for food for the week, but the hours of happiness with Anzu were worth it! He could just have water for lunch that week. No big deal.

Because of his elation, he did not expect the strange sight he received as he entered his home. The walls were covered in bright, shimmering swirls of color, and the streetlamps' glow made them appear to be whirling around him. Yugi paused a moment to compose himself before spotting his artistic roommate. "Terri-san?"

Terri stretched towards the higher part of the wall opposite the kitchen, painting a large butterfly in mid flight. "Oh, 'ey Yug!"

"Terri-san, why do you now paint… circle motion," said Yugi, not knowing the word 'swirls.' "It is making me dizzy!"

"Sorry," was all he responded.

Yugi took a moment to look closer at Terri. He looked awful. His hair was matted and stuck out at odd angles. The black shawl had been ripped. Mud spattered his clothes and face. He looked unnaturally pale, circles creased his soft features, and he abnormally grinned broadly. Spooked, Yugi cleared his throat. "Ano… What happened to your clothes?"

"Sorry," he said, not really paying attention.

"You - uh - have been gone for days."

"Sorry."

"No, no, no!" Yugi rubbed the back of his neck. "Um, its just that we wondered where you go. Mousy had to take over as manager, and the director got a bit mad. But other than that…" Terri painted on without stopping. "Uh… where were-?"

"Done!" Terri took a step back to admire his work. What Yugi thought was a butterfly actually took a human form. An androgynous being of pure white soon illuminated the once dark room. It had long, blonde hair, a slender build, and magnificent wings shimmering in flight. The creature's eye were closed, but took on a commanding, powerful appearance, a sharp contrast to the delicate wings.

"Sugoi," said Yugi.

"Nice, huh?" Terri held out his arms like wings. "Wish I could fly! Wish I could fly, fly, fly all around the world all day long." He began spinning around the room dreamily, making Yugi's head spin in the process. "I could be high in the air, wearing beautiful colors, see beautiful things, beautiful places…"

"Terri-san, have you been drinking?"

"No. Accordin' tah my eidetic memory, alcohol's a depressant, and how can I feel down when I feel so up!" **5** He stretched his arms towards the ceiling. "Look, the stars are dancing' in my room!"

Yugi decided not to. He did not want to start his hangover for another few hours.

"God, I'm so tired," said Terri. He blinked a couple of times. "What time is it?"

"Ten to three."

"What day?"

"Sunday."

Terri snapped his fingers. "I got Church in a few hours! Maybe I can make 6am service!" He started off to his room, until he tripped over one of the couch pillows and landed face first on the floor. Yugi took a few steps to help him, but he immediately straightened up. "'Salright! Not a problem!" Then he turned to Yugi. "'Ey Yug! When'd you get home?"

"Uh… Just a minute ago."

"Cool." Pause. "What was I gonna do?" But before Yugi could answer, he said, "Oh, right! Church!" He walked into his room and closed the door.

"Terri-san?" Yugi stood beside Terri's door in order to hear him. "Listen - uh - you've been gone for a few days."

"Yeah!"

"Well… I was wondering… where were you?"

"Out for a walk."

"For three days? To where?"

"Not sure. They stopped me once I hit Canada."

"Canada? As in the country?"

Terri opened the door, now wearing a flowery robe. "What do you care, Church boy?" He walked over to the kitchen.

"Okay. Um, I don't go to Church-"

"No?" Terri slammed a pot down on the stove. "Then you goin' straight tah Hell!"

"You don't say," Yugi muttered sarcastically.

"At least you'll have company," Terri took a wooden spoon from a rack and gestured towards himself. "Tell ya what, I'll drive the car, and you take shot gun. Dat is, if ya still can stand tah be in the same car wit the freak!"

Yugi tried to figure out whether Terri's ranting actually made sense, or he had more drinks at the club than he could handle. "What?"

"Oh, sure! You're acting okay wit it now! But pretty soon yer gonna be screamin' at me, an laughin' at me, an throwin' things at me!" Terri stirred the pot furiously. "I know what the deal is! Ain't like I've nevah been hurt before by a buddy! I meet a nice guy! I make friends wit 'em! I get attached to 'em! Den the moment dey figure out I ain't gay, or I ain't foolin' around, or I ain't no lesbian…" Terri looked at Yugi, and tears lined the dark circles creasing in his tired face. "It ain't like its my fault! I didn't ask tah look like a girl! I didn't asked tah be a cry baby! I look bettah dis way! I like who I am!" He turned back to the pot. "Nobody else does! Dey think I'm a joke! Dat's me, funny Terri, always actin' weird for a laugh! Ha Ha Ha! You ain't allowed tah laugh at dat," he snapped at Yugi.

"I didn't-"

"Ya know," he continued, "I knew dis was too good to be true! Know why? Cus I liked ya! You were too good a friend! Too innocent, too understanding, too sweet… But dat ain't how it works for us freaks, is it, Yug? Freaks don't get breaks like dat! Freaks don't make friends with normal guys, do they? Freaks don't get tah have any pretty girlfriends, do they? Freaks don't get treated wit dignity, do they? Freaks don't get family what's ashamed o' them because dey cry or act girly, do they? And WHY THE FREAK AM I STIRRIN' AN EMPTY POT!"

When Terri shrieked the final part, a pain shot through Yugi's head, and he yelped. The strain from translating Terri's words, mixed with the alcohol from earlier, was a little much for one night. He sat down on the table, knocking over the sugar bowl. Terri dropped the pot in surprise.

"Sorry, Terri-san," said Yugi, placing a hand on his forehead. The sound of the pot hitting the tile worsened the pain. "I'll clean it up later."

Terri stared in wonderment at the powder. "Ooo! How'd yah do that?"

"Do what?"

He kneeled down to peek eye-level with the table. "Make it snow little diamonds!"

"Terri-san," said Yugi incredulously, "you sure you not drunk?"

"No, just tired." Pause. "Its Sunday, yeah?"

"Yes."

"I gotta get ready for Church!" He stood up and picked up the pot. "Gotta make breakfast! Gotta take a shower! Gotta help ya pack!"

"Pack? Me? Why?"

Terri did not face Yugi. He resumed stirring the empty pot. "Cus yah leavin' me," he said in a matter-of-fact tone.

"What?" Yugi stood up (slowly to avoid aggravating his head further). "Terri-san, you are wrong about me! It does not mean anything that you dress up in women's clothing!"

Terri turned around, stunned. "It don't?"

"No!" Yugi shrugged. "Yes, I do not know many cross-dressers. Yes, I do not understand why. But this does not mean I think you are a freak! I mean, I am a bit angry that you did not tell me you are a man. Maybe it was my mistake. I should have seen you better. But Jonouchi-kun and Honda-kun used to call me girly because I did not play sports with them. And… And I cry sometimes!"

"You do," Terri asked in an awed whisper.

"Yeah!" Yugi blushed and scratched the back of his head. "Probably more often than I want to, which is embarrassing… One time, Anzu rented that movie called 'Titanic,' and we watched it at my home. I started to cry more than she did. My mother needed to get me other box of Kleenex."

Terri smiled, eyes drooping sleepily. "Dat movie makes me cry, too!"

"See? And I have normal friends… mostly. And they are all very nice." He closed his eyes. Talking to Terri made him realize how lucky he was to have such good friends. He missed them all. Even Bakura had some good qualities… when it came right down to it. "Terri-san, friendship means a lot to me. Means more than I can really say. Wait!" Yugi reached into his jacket pocket and took out an envelope. "I got this for you."

Terri opened the envelope with a shaking hand. The outside read "Congratulations on a great Opening Night!" Inside were Horus the Black Flame Lvs. 6 and 8, the cards he needed to complete his combo. "Why?"

Yugi grinned. "Because that is what friends do for each other! Now, I think it is time for you to go to bed. I'll clean up out here." He put his arm around Terri's shoulder to guide him to bed. Terri just stared at the cards in one hand and clutched onto the wooden spoon in the other.

"Dis is so nice."

"I know."

"Youse a nice person."

"Thank you."

"And we're still friends."

"Yes."

"But I didn't get you anything."

"Its okay."

"Wanna lick my spoon?"

Yugi chuckled as he lay Terri down and set the cards on his night stand. "Maybe later."

"Okay." Terri curled up, hugging the spoon like a teddy bear. "Good night, Yugi."

"Good night, Terri-kun."

-0-

Yugi: Yami has trouble keeping his mouth shut about the baby, so he and Nazo make a bet about it. My brother may not play games profesionally anymore, but he still loves to gamble! And things get awkward for me the next time. Let's just say this love chain is driving me nuts!

* * *

**1 "Peach Girl" - No relation to the anime of the same name. This is actually in reference to YLP/II. To remember Anzu's name as a kid, Yugi used to call her "Peach Girl" because Anzu means peach.  
2 "Itsumo" "forever" or "always"  
3 "Kurouto" "prostitute" or and expert in such an area. Not a common phrase; rather old-fashioned, like calling her "tart"  
4 "Let's Hear It for the Boy" - if you don't know it, look up the lyrics. It fits Anzu and Yugi!  
5 eidetic memory - a total recall of anything he every sees or hears. Kind of ironic, considering he is forgetful after no sleep for so long. This talent will come in handy later.**

**Song of the Chapter - "We Belong Together" by Gavin DeGraw**

* * *

Yami: Wow... That last scene was... weird!  
Una: Go ninty hours without sleep and see how your brain reacts.  
Bardock: We used to do that all the time in space! Sometimes battles would go on for ages. The only difference is that this puny planet has not yet discovered rejuvenation chambers yet.  
Yugi: At least Terri-kun knows we're still friends.  
Yami: That's not all. I'M GONNA BE A FATHER!  
Una: That's right! Any guesses whether it will be a boy or girl? Ruka can't play; she knows.  
Yugi/Yami: NO FAIR!  
Una: The review button is your friend! 


	7. Chapter 7: The More You Luv Someone

Una: I'M TWENTY-ONE!  
Yugi: Happy Birthday!  
Yami: Happy Belated Birthday!  
Bardock: What's a birthday?  
Una: An excuse to get presents and not feel guilty. It also means I am legally old enough to drink alcohol responsively.  
Bardock: How old do you have to be to drink it irresponsibly?  
Yugi: Eighteen.  
Yami: Twelve.  
Una: Twelve? Yami-kun, shame on you! And you're going to be a father!

* * *

Yami: Last time on _ANA_ Yugi finally met up with Anzu! They had an unfortunate confrontation with a man in her class, and Yugi found out that Terri was a man! Nazo told me that we are expecting an hier, but wishes to keep it secret. But I don't want to!

* * *

**Chapter 7: The More you Love Someone, the More You Want to Kill Them**

**_October 6th, present day New York City, USA_**

_Dear Yugi;_

_I am happy to hear you found Anzu! Ask her what sort of classes she is taking. Nazo took online courses recently. Her best was in advanced computer programming. So, if Anzu needs help in anything, give Nazo a call._

_Kaiba has me involved in the construction of Kaibaland Tokyo. I am quite certain Keiko and Nazo are behind this, but I am not complaining. I would rather spend more time home than in hotel suites. _

_I stopped by the game shop for Mother's birthday, and you will never believe who was there; Mokuba and Shizuka apparently spend a lot of time with Mother now! I was very surprised to see the two of them drinking tea and listening to her old stories about how she met dad. It is amusing to see how stories that have become so second-hand to us entertain others. I believe she is writing them down in order to have them published. Can you imagine our mother as an author?_

_Nazo wrapped the picture frame you requested, and I gave it to Mother with that picture of all of us at the shrine on Children's Day. Yes, I know you wanted the picture of us at the zoo put in the frame, but Nazo insisted that Mother would like a more serious one. You can also see Dad's face better._

_I did not see her reaction. She accepted the gift from Nazo and me, but refused to open yours. I left it on the kitchen table for her to open later. I now realize why she dotes on Mokuba and Shizuka so. She misses you, Aibou. She may still be angry with you, but I sense her sadness. Have you tried calling her? It has been a month now._

_Take care, Aibou!_

_--Yami_

-0-

Yami wanted to tell the whole world! His happiness grew so wide, so strongly, that it must be spread to every living creature on Earth! He would have printed an announcement in the newspaper, if not for Nazo's insistence that this remain a secret.

"I promise it won't be front page!"

"Anata…"

"Let me just tell Jonouchi-kun and my family!"

"You usually have such a good poker face!"

"So? I can't hold it for two months! I could barely hold it the weekend!"

"Yami-sa, no!"

"Why not!"

Nazo set down her book in frustration. "You're acting like a child!"

Yami, playing along and taking the sympathy approach, got onto his knees and rested his chin on the edge of the bed. "Am not," he pouted. He had seen Yugi do this same pout so often, his imitation was uncanny.

Nazo could not keep a straight face. Her husband rarely acted so silly around anyone, even her. "Cut it out," she laughed.

"Please," Yami whined, making his blood-colored eyes as large and innocent as possible.

"How am I going to deal with _two_ of you now?"

"I don't know. Let's ask the Kaibas!"

Nazo rolled over lightly onto her stomach, so their noses touched. "Don't you ever give up?"

As if a mask lifted, Yami reverted back to a cocky smile. "You should know that answer, Mrs. King of Games!"

Nazo giggled and rubbed her nose on his affectionately. "Alright then, we'll have it your way!"

His eyes lit up. "So, I can tell Jonouchi?"

"No," she said, pulling up onto her elbows. "You just gave me the perfect way to keep your mouth shut. Let's play a game - more specifically, a bet."

Yami's eyebrow rose. "Oh? Are you sure you wish to challenge me?"

"I am the Yugiouhi, aren't I?"

"Very well. Name your terms."

"You don't tell another living soul about our child until mid November. Once we are sure there will be no miscarriage, then you can shout it from the top of Kaiba Corp. if you want!"

"The stakes?"

"The question of our child's godparents."

Yami's eyes narrowed. "I was unaware there was a question."

"Yami-sa," said Nazo, sitting upright, "I owe Keiko a lot. And I think she would make an excellent godmother."

Yami jumped to his feet. "Tondemonai-yo!" **1**

"Don't you-"

"Yes, Keiko would be perfect, except that would make Seto Kaiba the god_father_!"

"I knew you'd place your own rivalry with him before considering your child's protection!" She crossed her arms. "What if something were to happen to us, Yami? I trust in Keiko's powers, and Kaiba's for that matter. He'd be safe, and well loved."

"And he wouldn't be with Yugi?" Yami glared at her. "Kaiba may have been my cousin in the past, and he may still have _potential_ for magic, but aren't you forgetting he is an arrogant son of a bitch with a heart the warmth of an ice cube, and little to no faith in his or his wife's abilities?"

"You're going a little too far."

"Perhaps, but the fact remains that Yugi is more fit for the honor than Kaiba!"

"That's your opinion. Either way, those are my terms. If you want Yugi to be the godfather of our son or daughter, you don't breathe a word about his/her existence to anyone but Keiko or me. Come Thanksgiving, we'll both tell Yugi he's going to be an uncle and a godfather."

"This hardly seems fair."

"You want to add something?"

"Yes, Isis Ishtar doesn't count."

Nazo blinked. "Isis-san? Why her?"

"You have your council, I have mine. I'm including you in this bet. And since she lives in Egypt, she is hardly in any position to blab." He leaned in closer to her. "You may be holding back from telling everyone, but I know you're just as hopeful for this child as I am. Fear is your motivation to remain silent, pride is mine!"

"Fine! It's a bet!"

* * *

**_October 8th, present day New York City, USA_**

Ms. Prince had ordered Yugi to restock the reference library with the newest editions of the _Encyclopedia Britannica_. What she had not told him was that the dolly he normally used was broken, so he had to carry each book across the large hall. By the time all 28 volumes sat beside the shelf, Yugi needed to take off his shirt to cool down. At least he managed to take only five trips back and forth. Terri would be proud.

He cursed his bitchy boss under his breath as he took the old volumes from their place. She had become almost unbearable since Rebecca forced her to give him a raise! She yelled in higher pitches broken only by cold glares and growls at other students. He found more self restraint than he knew he possessed to keep himself from snapping back at her; he held as much contempt for her as she held for him. He thought maybe she was purposefully trying to be so rotten that he would retaliate. But he was not going to give her a reason to fire him! He may be humble, but he still held some pride!

Yugi mused for a minute of how the ultra-proud Yami would handle a situation like this. Two years ago, he would have challenged Ms. Prince to a Shadow Game and dropped her soul under a pile of books. But now... Yugi had no idea, but he knew Yami would not take any crap from her.

The new edition text books ran through the bottom shelf. Yugi searched for a step ladder in the "Biography" section three isles away. Some of the names jumped from the covers and into his head. He reviewed the ones he recognized. "George Washington, first president of the USA. Martin Luther King Jr., give the speech about some dream he had for racial equality. Thomas Jefferson, president who wrote the Declaration of Independence. Harriet Tubman, woman who helped free slaves before the Cybal War."

"Civil War, Darling," said a voice from behind.

Yugi gave a wave of acknowledgement as he grabbed the ladder. "Hey, Rebecca."

Rebecca jumped him from behind, forcing him onto the wooden ladder. "I'm so glad you still work here! I've missed you!"

"Ow ow ow ow ow!" Yugi's front was pressed against the steps uncomfortably. "Rebecca!"

"Oh! Sorry!" She helped him up. "It's just been a while, and we live so close! I feel ashamed that I haven't come to see you sooner!"

"Its okay," said Yugi, sitting on the second step until the pain subsided.

"When's your lunch break," asked Rebecca sweetly.

"In another hour," said Yugi. "What's up?"

Rebecca grabbed his arm affectionately. "I wanna take you out for a burger while we talk! I want you to tell me all about your time here in New York! And I want you to meet my Grandpa again! He said that you haven't gone to see him yet!"

"No. I have been a little busy. I am sorry. I only get all of Sunday off, and I spend that with friends or resting."

"You should be sorry," said Rebecca winking. "My grandpa can help you out if you still want to be an archeologist!"

Yugi glumly pulled the ladder towards the reference section. "I am not a student yet. And I need citizenship first."

"Oh, I'm sure you'll get it! You're so smart with games that your intelligence quotient is high. It won't be a problem for you. That's one of the things I like about you; you're so smart and humble! You're such a great guy for any girl's boyfriend."

"Speaking of that," said Yugi, getting an idea. "Terri is taking us on a tour of this city next weekend. Do you wish to join with us?"

"I'd love to," said Rebecca. The light shining from her radiant face gleamed with brilliant enthusiasm. "I can show you the American Museum of Natural History! And St. Patrick's Cathedral is said to be really romantic! Maybe we can go for a carriage ride in Central Park! Oh, I can't believe you'd ask me out with-"

"I want you to go out with Terri."

Rebecca looked honestly taken aback. "Terri?"

"Yes. I will be with Anzu, and you with Terri." Yugi winced as he watched Rebecca's heart clearly shatter with the new information. "I am sorry. I wish I could tell you sooner, but I found her. Terri is a good friend to me. I would very much like you to be his girlfriend."

"Terri Toriello? The insane drama freak?"

A sweat drop glazed Yugi's face. "You have met."

"Yes. We've... We've talked a few times. He likes pretending he is a duelist, but he's no where in our league. Seems nice, though." She blushed and looked away. "I don't know. We don't have a lot in common."

"Hey Yugi," called a voice from nearby. Destiny, from the drama department, came from behind the bookshelf. "Oh, hello Rebecca."

"Do you know each other," Yugi asked.

"In passing," said Rebecca quickly.

"Yugi, do you know where the book _The Sound and the Fury_ is? It's not on the shelf."

"Must have come in this morning." Yugi quickly placed the last encyclopedia volume on the top shelf. "I will help you."

"Thank you."

When Yugi got down, he sensed heavy air between the two young women. A bit unnerved, he cleared his throat. "Um, so, would you consider dating Terri, Rebecca?"

"Terri Toriello," asked Destiny. "The freaky Boss in crew?"

Yugi face vaulted. "Un! He is my best friend."

"What do you think of him," Rebecca asked Destiny.

"Well," said Destiny uncomfortably, "he likes pretending he's a duelist. He claims he's been in big tournaments, but I've never heard of the one he mentions the most. He acts weird all the time. Plus, he dresses all feminine. He's just… weird!"

"The transvestite thing doesn't bother me," said Rebecca. "I'm very tolerant."

"So…"

Finally, she shook her head. "No. It wouldn't be fair. I don't love him, and I never will."

"Can we find my book now," asked Destiny.

Yugi sighed. "Sure. Ja ne, Rebecca!"

* * *

**_Later that night, present day Osaka, Japan_**

"Yami!" Ryou held the door open for his friend to enter. "My cousin isn't here! We can watch TV in peace!"

"I hear your cousin is a weird one," the girl said as she straightened her glasses.

"Yeah, well, I'm the only one who can control him! You see, I'm a very strong, very confident person!" Ryou closed the door carefully. He had not brought a girl home with him before tonight. She seemed like a nice person from his History class, but they had only gone out three times. He was not entirley sure what to do. The third date supposedly meant "sex" in college, right? But could he really ask? Did he work up to it? Did she know?

The girl blushed. The floor suddenly looked so much more interesting. "So... This is your apartment."

Ryou blushed too. "Yeah... This is it."

She dug her toe in the dingy carpet. "It's nice."

"Thanks. I - uh - do what I can." There was a long, awkward pause. "Do you wanna... ya know... sit on the couch?"

"Okay." She sat down, still working out the patterns on the floor. Ryou unfastened the button pressing against his neck. "I'll... get you something to drink."

"Thanks." As Ryou bustled about the kitchen, his date scanned the room. There was nothing particularly special about it, except for the gun-polisher opened and used sitting on the cabinet acorss the room. She also noticed a few scortch marks on the ceiling. But other than that, the room was very normal.

She was about to go ask if Ryou needed help when the door opened. Yami Bakura entered, shouldering a black sack. He paused for a moment, staring at the girl. "Hello," he said in a slightly deeper voice than his cousin.

"Hello," she responded. The Ring on his chest glowed slightly, as if more intrigued with her than the hawk-brown eyes. For several seconds, they said nothing. She watched with interest as the gold tendrils of the Millennium Item jingled with each breath he took.

"Did I leave you here this morning," he asked suddenly.

"No."

"Are you here about the thing in the basement?"

"No."

"Okay then." He walked past her to the hallway.

"I'm Ryou's girlfriend, by the way," she called out.

"Don't care!" A door shut, and silence returned. She held her chest, hoping the heart within would calm slightly. She could feel the power of the Ring call to her. 'Not yet,' she scolded herself. 'They must trust you first! Wait for it!'

Ryou came back in holding two glasses of red wine. "Was that Yami?"

"Y-yes!"

Ryou mistook her jolt for nervousness. "Don't worry," he said handing her a glass. "He won't bother us."

She took the glass and smiled warmly, looking at him above the rims of her glasses. "Thank you for inviting me here, Ryou-kun!"

He sat beside her and pushed aside her aqua hair. "You're absolutely welcome, Prudence-chan." He kissed her neck, not noticing the reptilian eye tattoo on her shoulder.

* * *

**_October 15th, present day Cairo, Egypt_**

Isis Ishtar worked for the Egyptian Federal Beauru of Archeology, and her current projects included the restoration of some pieces to be displayed in the Egyptian Museum. Yami had visited her a few times in the past two years for both business and pleasure. She and the other former tomb watchers always welcomed him and Nazo (whom he had brought twice before).

As he got off the plane, he expected to hail a taxi in order to meet her. At the baggage claim, he felt a tap on his shoulder. "Moto-sama?"

Yami turned to see Isis' younger brother, Marik Ishtar. Years ago, Marik took control of the Millennium Rod in order to gather all three Egyptian god cards and win Yami's power as pharaoh. This created more than a small problem for Yami and his friends, as the concentrated hatred resulted in an evil entity which almost killed Mai, Bakura, Jonouchi, Yugi, and Marik himself. In the end, Yami defeated the dark spirit, and restored Marik's soul. But the experience with the Rod had an unforeseen side affect: Marik had minor visions of the original timeline, unlike other non-Item holders who could remember nothing at all.

Yami gave the youngest tomb-keeper a small smile and nod. "Hello, Marik."

Marik bowed in greeting, speaking to the Japanese man in his eastern tongue. "It is good to see you again. I think my sister is expecting you. Please, follow me."

"How is Isis these days," he asked casually.

"She has been well. The Anubis sculpture she has been restoring for the museum has been giving her some problems, as it was originally made of tainted gold. Rishid has not been able to find the same kind to fully complete it, and you know her, she's too stubborn to accept anything less than perfect."

Yami nodded. Rishid, the Ishtar's adopted older brother, occasionally helped Isis at the museum. "And what of Karim?"

"Ayaat-san still visits us frequently," said Marik, a hint of annoyance in his voice he tried to conceal. "He's offered Hanif's help to find the alloy."

Yami shook his head. Marik used to date Calpurnia Ayaat two years ago. During that time her father, Karim Ayaat, spent more time with the Ishtars in order to judge Marik worthy of his only daughter. Although Marik and Cal's relationship did not work out, the widower seemed to fall in love with the matriarch of the Ishtars. This came as a shock to everyone, considering the families were on bad terms for centuries. Isis appeared to have returned the affections in private. Neither, however, made any advancement yet because Marik did not want his sister marrying a man nearly twice her age!** 3**

"She is a beautiful woman who can have any man she wants," he had said to Yami last time they had met and discussed it. "Why'd that old man think I'd actually give him permission to court her? This isn't ancient times! He shouldn't think that he can marry her just because of their past! He's too old! And old fashioned! And _gross_!"

'And yet, as the head of the family, you're keeping her from making her own decisions,' thought Yami. 'How old fashioned is that?' Still, it really was none of his business to interfere in private disputes, nor could he command Marik to do anything unrelated to the safety of the Items.

Yami paid for his luggage to be sent ahead to his overnight hotel room, then followed Marik to his motorcycle parked outside. The journey through the streets of downtown Cairo was quick, and soon they pulled up to the parking lot near the Egyptian Museum.

The Egyptian Museum in Cairo stood as a monument of the hope traditional native held to preserve their extensive history. Now over one hundred years old, the neo-classic French style of architecture caught the eye of any tourist; it appeared to be more of a palace. It stood amidst smaller, modern buildings in Tahrir Square, calling attention to its gardens of native flowers and fountain with lilies from the Nile. The Egyptian led the King of Games through the main hall to a side corridor. They descended the metal staircase, surrounded by stone walls and a few florescent lights to show them the way. The clangs of their footsteps echoed, only stopped by the sounds of Arabian instrumental music floating softly at the bottom.

Yami spotted Isis Ishtar as he reached the bottom. She wore a brown work dress, a dusty gray smock, and a yellow cloth to cover her long, ebony hair. Her nose was an inch away from a clay pot she carefully dusted. Before Yami opened his mouth, she said, "I am pleased you arrived safely, Yami-san."

Yami cleared his throat to cover his surprise that she knew it was him. "Thank you, Isis. It feels good to be back in Egypt. I trust you are well."

Rather than answer, she replied, "Please, come look at these pictures."

Marik and Yami looked at each other, shrugged, and then joined Isis beside the pot. On the bottom half, it depicted a pharaoh (not Yami) standing amidst his smaller people in sunshine. On the top half, strange creatures, possibly Duel Monsters, danced around the pot. Separating the two sections was a long, serpentine dragon.

"Odd," commented Marik, "I doubted any artist would place a pharaoh below anything, especially monsters."

Yami squinted, trying to make out the detail of the dragon. "Those eyes…"

Isis straightened up. "This was found hidden away in an old memoriam near Kuru Elna. It is post our time, or rather Pharaoh Atem's reign, but not by much. Late 18th Dynasty, possibly hidden during Akhenaten's reign."

"Not surprising," chuckled Marik. "If he found something like this, death would be a blessing!"

"What is the significance of this dragon," asked Yami.

"I am looking into it. If this tale has anything to do with the monsters we controlled in the past, I promise you, Pharaoh, I will find out."

Without touching the ancient pot, Yami traced the single eye of the dragon.

"Pharaoh," Isis asked softly. "Was there something you wished to speak to me about?"

"Yes." Yami straightened up. "And if you don't mind, I would prefer it be alone."

Marik's jaw dropped. "What's wrong with-"

"Brother, please," said Isis.

Marik gave Yami a dirty look before he hurried up the stairs.

"Now then," said Yami, "I must ask a large favor, Isis."

Isis bowed. "I am at your service, my pharaoh."

"I need you to use the Necklace to look into my wife's future."

Isis looked up. "Pharaoh?"

"Is this a problem?"

"No, not at all! I'm a bit surprised. You had ordered us never to use them again."

"I revoke that request," said Yami. "As long as you still remember the old ways, you should have little problem activating the sleeping powers of you Item." He walked across the room to get two stools. He placed one beside Isis and sat one on opposite her. "I come not as your former pharaoh, Isis. I come as an old friend in need of your special talents."

Isis bowed. "If it is within my power, I shall help you, Yami-san. Mind you, the Necklace's power is limited."

"Are you still able to see possible futures?"

"It depends."

"On what?"

"The gods. They send visions to me, whether or not I request them."

Yami took a deep breath. "Isis, I need you to look into my wife's future, and tell me anything you see."

She blinked. "Nazo-san? Is she ill?"

Yami squeezed Isis's hand gently. "Please, Isis," he insisted. "I need to know!"

Isis placed her palms on either side of the pendant, which began to glow. "I see… fire."

"Fire?" Fire was never a good sign in relation to his wife. Nazo still had horrible memories of being trapped in a fire as a young teenager, and she held an intense fear of the elelment. "What else?"

Isis seemed to struggle, as if mentally squinting to get a better look at her vision. "It is... new life, and yet, very powerful. The intensity of the color is like none of which I have ever encountered. And it... seems to be flying."

"Flying?"

Isis shook her head and opened her eyes. "I am very sorry, my pharaoh. I do not know what these images detail," she smiled, "but am I correct in guessing that Nazo is with child?"

Yami nodded distractedly. "Flying fire? What could that possibly mean?"

"A great many things, I'm afraid. I am sorry I could not be of much help after all. I may have only given you more to worry about."

Yami shook his head. "Fire may represent aspects of the underworld, but it is more closely associated with Ra and the uraeus. I am more convinced now that my child will be born healthy. Thank you, Isis." **4**

Isis bowed. "Of course, my pharaoh." She held out her hand. "May I?" Yami allowed her to take his, and she kissed his fingers. "Congradulations!"

* * *

**_October 19th, present day New York City, USA_**

_Dear Yami;_

_I am so tired! Now that Anzu and I are back together, I am working overtime at the library during her night classes to get more money to take her out. On top of this, Terri wants me to use the rolling book tables less to get stronger. Terri also makes us jog every morning instead of taking the bus. I am working out more than I ever did in gym class!_

_I also must tell you about the love attraction around me and Anzu. I told you I met with Rebecca. Well, she still really likes me, but Terri likes her. I do know that the guy starring in Anzu's play likes Anzu. Actually I believe he wishes only to have sex with her. He is handsome, tall, strong, rich, and can dance really well, but he is a terrible person to me and to Terri! I know I should not draw myself to attention, but sometimes I really am wanting to punch him!_

_Terri took Anzu and me for a tour of the city today…_

"Ready to go," Yugi announced as he entered the kitchen. "Terri-kun! Why are you not yet dressed!"

Terri served up omelets on to three paper plates. He was wearing his flowery robe and a towel over his head. "What? I like cookin' before I get ready."

"Anzu is going to arrive soon! I would rather not have you wearing that when she comes!"

"Afraid I'm too manly for her?"

Yugi shook his head at the sarcasm.

"Dude, I may wear girly clothes, but no woman can resist dis body!" He opened up his robe and struck a heroic pose. It took a few second before Yugi caught himself looking Terri over, and then he blushed and turned away. "Terri-kun!"

"What?"

"You are only wearing boxers!"

"Silk boxahs," Terri corrected, "which match my robe, might I add! Dey don't make no panties tah hold dis perfect package!"

"Ya know what's yah problem?" Yugi pretended to ignore his roommate as he set the table. "Ya too insecure wit yahself! Really, ya just gotta let go and have some fun! You tell me des stories about how yah old friends made ya feel less like a man. But I say, 'Screw 'em!' Jokin' about yahself only proves ya more confident!"

"I can be confident!"

"Yeah, right!"

Yugi threw down the fork. "How do I prove to you that I am?"

"Take off yah jacket." Yugi did so. "Now dah sweatah." He took it off. "Flex ya ahm." Terri demonstrated, and Yugi mimicked. "Now, look at dat! Ya didn't have dat when ya got here!"

"Yes," Yugi admitted, looking at his slightly thicker arm.

"Now kiss it."

"WHAT?"

"Kiss it!"

"I am not kissing my arm!"

"Look, yah wanted dat muscle a long time, right? Its, like, a symbol dat ya time in America made yah tougha den yah were when Joe and Honda picked on ya! Remembah dose gang membahs from when yah got here? I'll bet you could fight back now! Ain't ya glad ya becomin' a strongah man?"

"I guess... I am not as-"

"No! Don't you think like dat! You are strongah den you were! You are toughah den you were! You ain't got no more puppy-fat. You look like a man! You are becomin' a strong, tough, good-lookin' man!"

As Terri spoke, Yugi could not help but straighten up a little. He did feel quite proud that he had lost weight and gained some muscle. To be honest, he had Terri's exercises really helped him a lot. He felt stronger! He felt more energetic! Yugi smiled smugly. "You are right, Terri-kun! I feel much better!"

"Good! Now..." Terri whipped off his robe and slipped it onto Yugi's shoulders with one swift motion. Before Yugi could struggle to resist, Terri held it on firmly. "No No, no! Dis is part of it!" He took a step back, as Yugi gave him a look of utter disbelief. "Now, ya feel different?"

"I'm wearing a kimono!"

"So?"

"_So?_ I look stupid!"

"Stupid? I'll have you know dis robe is a Ralph Lauren original, made of 100 Japanese silk!"

"IT IS FOR A GIRL!"

"Brings out yah eyes!"

"TERRI!"

Terri approached Yugi and bent his arm. "Ya still strong! Ya still good lookin'! So, ya can still be confident about it! No mattah what happens, no mattah what ya have done ta you, ya still done a lot ta make yahself look bettah den evah!" Terri indicated himself. "Lookit me. I ain't dat different from you, huh?"

Yugi's cheeks turned slightly pink. "I see your point, I guess. Have I proven myself?"

Terri smiled and glomped him. "Ya on yah way!"

Just then, the front door closed. Anzu had entered with the key Yugi had given her, and she stared at the two boys: One, her boyfriend, topless with black jeans, boots, and a flowery robe, and the other wearing only boxers. Yugi - in true anime fashion - turned to stone from a mixture of shock and fear. His pupils turned to tiny dots, which fixed on Anzu. His mind had shut down out of fear and embarrassment. Terri began sniffling. "Sorry ya had tah find out dis way Annie, but..." He hung on Yugi's shoulders. "Yug an' I are runnin' away to Atlantic City tahgether!"

Yugi's shock vanished, and he turned so red that his blonde bangs went orange. "TERRI! WE ARE NOT!" He shoved Terri off, but in doing so he accidentally tripped over the robe. Yugi managed to catch the table before he fell to the floor. Terri leapt over to the stove and took out the wooden spoon to use as a weapon. They circled each other on opposite ends of the table for a minute. Then Yugi jumped onto the table to reach Terri. Terri ducked and lifted the table from underneath with Yugi still on board.

Anzu doubled over with laughter. "You… guys!" she said between breaths.

Terri lifted it higher with one arm, and flexed with the other. Yugi peeked over the edge, his anger spent. "Let me down, please."

Terri set the table down and bowed. "Thank you! Ya been a great audience! Now, for my next trick, I'll get dressed!" He marched off whistling "C'est moi" from 'Camelot.' **2**

"You two are something else," said Anzu, wiping tears from her eyes. Anzu hugged Yugi from behind, kissing his neck. "I can't wait for today! There's so much to see here in New York!" She paused. "What's wrong, Yugi."

"Don't be mad."

"Not the best way to start a sentence."

"I tried to invite Rebecca, but she turned it down."

Anzu took a step away to fold her arms. "Why would you invite _her_?"

Yugi took off the robe. "Terri-kun likes her. I wanted to have her start dating him, so they could be both very happy."

Anzu looked surprised and touched. "Does Terri know you talked to Rebecca?"

"No. I just wished to help."

"'Ey! Yug!" Terri poked his head through the door. "Tighty withties? What are you, eight?"

"Why are you going through my underwear drawer?"

"I need socks!"

"Look in the basket!"

"Ain't those dirty?"

"I washed all them last night!"

"Sheesh! Don't get so touchy!" He disappeared back into the hall.

Yugi grabbed his sweater, pouting slightly in annoyance. "I changed my mind! Let him fix his own damn problems! See if I try to help him again!" He was caught off guard when Anzu kissed his cheek. "What?"

"Nothing. I just love you."

-0-

Yugi: Oy minna-san! Terri has become mine and Anzu's best friend, but exactly how good a friend does one have to be for advice on... on things you normally do not speak about in mixed company. Gosh, Americans are willing to discuss anything in public! Also in the next chapter, Jonouchi goes to ask Yami for career advice and has a dream about Yami's future!

* * *

**1 "Tondemonai-yo!" No way! Never!  
****2 C'est Moi - "That's Me" a very funny song from the musical Camelot, meant to highlight Terri's arrogance at this point  
****3 The Ayaats and the Ishtars - Check out my other fic _YLPII_  
****4 Uraeus - I realize this is not well known, but a uraeus is the rearing cobra on the crown of the pharaoh. It spits fire and represents the protection of Ra over the pharaoh. **

**Song of the chapter - "The More You Love Someone" from the musical _Avenue Q_

* * *

Yugi: Terri's a lot of fun! Where does he come from?  
Una: Let's see... a bit of Nuriko from _Fushigi Yuugi_, a dash of Joey from "Friends," a sprig of my fav stand up comedian Eddie Izzard, and a lot of my own knowledge of literature and drama!  
Yami/Bardock: He's just so weird!  
Yugi: So, Terri's gonna give Anzu advice about...  
Una: Sex, yes.  
Yugi: _blushing_ Is next chapter going to be...  
Una: A PG-13 rated lime, yes. I'm thinking of turning it into a fullout lemon and posting that on another page. Same thing with the details of your New York trip (only without the lemon). If I kept it all in, the chapter would be another three pages or so long. I'm leaving stuff out so we can get this ball rolling!**


	8. Chapter 8: It's a Dangerous Game

Una: _singing _"At the touch of your hand, at the sound of your voice, at the moment your eyes meet mine..."  
Yugi: How many times has she sung that song?  
Una: "I am out of my mind, I am out of control, full of feelings I can't define..."  
Bardock: Enough times for me to hot for her!  
Una: _blushes _I'll stop!  
Yami: Wow... I can't believe she fell for that!  
Bardock: I can't believe she's still on this fic!  
Yugi: Remember when she wanted it finished by January? Now she's planning on adding a chapter or two, just to give more characters screen time. I thought you preferred fantastic action over comedy.  
Una: Normally, yes, but I really want to be fair to everyone! We still have three chapters or so of fun before action happens, and Halloween is my fav holiday!

* * *

**I**M**P**O**R**T**A**N**T** **N**O**T**E**S**: I do not foresee my friend writing the missing section fo chapter 4 any time soon. Here's the big spoiler; Jonouchi is the baby-sitter. He's had to work two full-time jobs to support himself, Shizuka, and save up for college. **N**O**T**E **2**: Lime alert!

* * *

Yami: Last time, Nazo and I made a bet as to which of us could keep her pregnancy a secret. If I win, Yugi is the baby's godfather. If she wins, the Kaibas are the godparents. Isis can't use the Millennium Necklace very well. I am not certain what her vision meant, but I am confident nothing serious will happen any time soon.

* * *

**_Chapter 8: Dangerous Game_**

**_October 21st, present day New York City, USA_**

Anzu waited patiently outside of Terri's Stagecraft class. She checked her watch and figured she had a bit of time before her next class to speak to her friend. Terri did not know she was there, and she did not want to bother interrupting Terri's conference with his teacher.

After what felt like ages, Terri emerged from the classroom in what can only be described as 'bliss.' He clutched a book to his chest and walked as though clouds lay at his feet. He closed the door behind him, leaning against it, grinning from ear to ear.

"Good news," asked Anzu.

Terri turned to her, noticing her for the first time. "Oh, hey Annie," he said, still grinning. "Ain't it a great day ta be alive?"

"What's got you so happy," she asked, not suppressing a grin. A happy Terri is always better than a joke to cheer someone up.

"Prof' Danila," exclaimed Terri, clutching the book as if it was a precious block of gold, "has given me my first official paid job as a set designah! I'm gonna design the set fah the Manhattan Children's Theatah! Can ya believe dat! A real theatah! Not on campus! A real one!"

"That's awesome, Terri!" She gave him a hug. "You so deserve it! What's the play?"

"'Wizahd of Oz,'" he said. "Its a cliché, but set design can always mix stuff up a little!"

"Don't go overboard, though."

Terri pretended to be hurt. "Annie, when have I evah gone ovahboard on anything?"

Anzu opted not to answer.

"So," said Terri, "what's up?"

"Huh?"

"Ya met me fer a reason. What's on ya mind?"

Anzu looked around. "Well, I needed your advice on something. Can we talk?"

"Ain't we now?" But Terri put his arm around her shoulders affectionately and steered her away from Professor Danila's classroom. "Talk ta me, babe! McCaughan buggin' you again?"

"No... Well, yes, but that's not the problem." Anzu blushed slightly. "I wanted to know what Yugi talks to you about after our dates."

"Mostly thanks me fah gettin' the two o' ya back together! Why?"

"Well... How about... How does he feel about him and me after all these months. Is he... happy?"

"Bright-eyed 'n bushy-tailed! 'Though he ain't takin' it easy!" Terri looked forward off into space, thinking about their friend's attitude. "He's studyin' more an' more ta get 'is green cahd. He needs a bettah payin' job an' benafits. Maybe I can get 'im one on my set now. Neah," he resolved. "He might get hurt. Buildin' sets can be dangerous. D'you know how had it is tah get in the good graces of Uncle Sammy?"

"No," admitted Anzu. "I was born here. Both of my parents are citizens of Japan and America."

"My family's legal, but not citizens! I'm dah only one able tah vote! Problem wit' Yuge is dat he ain't got no family here legal, too! Gonna be hahd fah 'im! He lost his visa papahs, and he ain't got a degree or professional job! See, _here _he's an adult, but in Japan, he ain't! And from what I get about his ma, she ain't gonna been to friendly in allowin' 'im tah stay!" Terri shook his head sadly. "Damn govahnment's got a grudge against all immigrants, legal or not!"

"I had no idea it was so bad!"

Terri shook his head again, this time frustrated. "You know Yuge! He ain't gonna worry nobody if he can help it!"

Anzu looked down sadly. "Maybe that's why. He's distracted."

"He ain't ignorin' ya, is he?"

"No! We've gone out almost every day after my classes. But its just not the same as before."

"Oh?"

"You know." She blushed again. "We haven't even talked about... Well, we aren't where we left off in the spring." Terri looked positively baffled, so Anzu elaborated uncomfortably. "He's been... taking things slower."

"Oh." Terri's eyes widened. "_Oh!_" Then looked even more baffled. "Oh?"

Anzu looked away, feeling more and more like Terri really was a typical guy. She grew up with her father, making these conversations almost non-existent growing up. And she did not have any girl friends she could talk to about this. In fact, her only close girlfriends were 7,000 miles away! But Terri felt close enough to being both Yugi's best _guy _friend and Anzu's best _girl _friend that she could trust him with this.

After a minute of silence, Anzu felt Terri's tender hand on her shoulder. "You wanna pick up the pace. Am I right?"

She breathed a sigh of relief that Terri finally understood. "Yeah. I don't want to emasculate him by making him think he isn't a good boyfriend or anything, because he is. But he is the kind of guy that lets the girl set the pace. I don't know how to tell him that I'm ready to go back to the way things were. I think we both need it."

"Sonuva gun," muttered Terri. "To think… Yugi!"

"I know. He may seem so innocent but…" She was completely red now. "He's… _incredibly _not!"

"An' you wanna let 'im know that ya wanna go back to 'playin' games,' as it were?"

Anzu nodded.

Terri's grin curved unnaturally upward in a demonic sort of way. "Yuge gets a lunch break from 11:30 tah noon. He usually eats in da back cornah in the 'American Literature' section. Know where dat is?"

"With the caricatures of all those authors?"

"Dat's the one! Okay, here's what to do." He cupped his hand to her ear and began to whisper. Anzu nodded once or twice, starting to grin herself. Terri pulled her closer and added something at the end that made Anzu chuckle. "Ooo, that's going to make him mad!"

"Still gonna do it?"

"You bet!" She hugged him again. "Thanks for the advice, Terri!"

"What'ah girlfriends for? Besides, Yuge needs ta lighten up a bit! He ain't even dueled in ovah a week!"

"Oh man," said Anzu semi-sarcastically, "if I'd have known it was an emergency, I'd have done something days ago!"

* * *

**_October 22nd, present day Domino City, Japan_**

_CLACK! The hard plastic closed in around their wrists. _

_"What did you wish to talk about, Jonouchi-kun?" _

_SWISH-CLICK! The card boards clapped together, whirled and snapped into position. _

_"Lots of stuff! Took me a while just to get you in front of me!" _

_BE-BEEP! The game consoles sprung to life. _

_"I'm sorry you feel that way, Jonouchi-kun. I have been very busy lately." Yami tried to loosen the red noose around his neck. "I have not been a good friend to you, and I apologize for that." _

_Jonouchi lowered his dueling disk to chest level. "No, ya haven't! And I'm sick of bein' shoved to the back on everything!" He placed Alligator's Sword (4/1500/1200) in attack mode and one card face down on the field. _

_Yami straightened his crown and placed two cards face down, then placed Gazelle (4/1500/1200) in attack mode. "You are never pushed aside by us! We are still your friends!" _

_"Friends don't abandon each other when they might need 'em!" He placed Rocket Warrior (3/1500/1200) in attack mode. "And I could really use help right now!" Rocket Warrior used its special ability to attack Gazelle, reducing its AP to 1000. Alligator's Sword also charged to attack. _

_Yami released Holy Barrier Mirror Force, destroying both of Jonouchi''s monsters. "You never ask for help anymore! You spend so much time with your friends from work, you hardly pay attention to your old friends!" _

_Jonouchi scoffed. He placed Gearfried (4/1800/1600) in defense mode to end his turn. "Not my fault you all went away." _

_Yami closed his eyes as he summoned Giant Stone Soldier (3/1300/2000) in defense mode. "Friends drift apart after high school. We each find ourselves by meeting other people and trying new things. That's what always happens to everyone." _

_"I don't care!" Jonouchi summoned The Marauding Captain (3/1200/1400) in defense mode. "I don't care if that happens to other people!" Due to the Captain's effect, Jonouchi drew Blue Flame Swordsman (4/1800/1600) and placed it beside the Captain in attack mode. "After all we've been through," he shouted as his Swordsman began his attack, "we should never drift apart!" _

_Yami flipped his other face-down card. Zero Gravity stopped Jonouchi's Swordsman in its tracks and forced all monsters to defense position. "That was in the past Jonouchi-kun." He sacrificed his Stone Soldier to summon Berfomet (5/1400/1800) to the field. He then pulled out his Polymerization card to fuse Berfomet and Gazelle into Chimera (6/2100/1800). "We've discussed this many times! This time era was arranged so we could live a normal life!" He attacked and destroyed Gearfried, then placed one card face down. _

_Jonouchi threw his turban off in frustration. "Quit acting so damn superior! You ain't my pharaoh! Never were!" His clothes morphed back into his modern street garb. "I am a nomad, loyal to my family and no one else!" He sacrificed the Captain to summon Maximum Six (6/1900/1600). "I don't want to be normal!" He whipped out a die and rolled a six. "None of want to be normal!" Maximum's AP went up to 3100! "We only accepted this life," he said as he activated Hurricane to destroy all spell cards from the field, "because you're our friend!" He sent Maximum to attack. "The only reason I became your friend in the first place," Chimera was torn apart, "was because of Yugi!" _

_The force of the blow pushed Yami back. "I realize that," he said sadly, placing two cards face down and summoning Kuriboh (1/300/200) in defense. "But what good would magic do you in this era?" _

_"It gives me a clear purpose!" He stared at the face-down cards. "I don't know what to do with my life now. Back then, everything seemed so easy! I could become a priest or magician or whatever, and stay near my friends forever. The choices were clear. But now," he looked again from Kuriboh to the face down cards. "Now its a gamble I don't want to take alone." He used Maximum to attack Kuriboh. _

_Yami activated his trap card Soul Shield, canceling out Jonouchi's attack. "I appreciate the risks you are willing to take for my sake-" _

_"Then act like it," Jonouchi spat. He sacrificed a monster on the field and Maximum to summon Red Eyes Black Dragon and ended his turn. "I used to respect you as a duelist, but you've even given that up. I just don't get it!" Jonouchi's fists tightened. "Why? Why did you willingly cut off a part of yourself when you didn't need to? Why did you give up being a god? Why didn't you want to move on? Why did you want to come back here? Why? Why! WHY?" _

_Yami calmly activated his trap card Black Magic of Revival Coffin. He sacrificed Jonouchi's REBD and his Kuriboh. A coffin appeared on the field. As it opened, a bright fire emitted from within. Jonouchi covered his eyes for a moment, then turned back to see what had been resurrected. Nazo stepped out of the casket. She was clutching a bundle of blankets to her chest. Yami stepped forward to join her, ignoring the rules of the game. He put his hands on his wife's shoulders. "This is why, Jonouchi-kun. Life is the ultimate reason for sacrifice." _

-0-

Jonouchi let out a snort, and he jumped up from his sleep. "Where? Wha-?" This surprised Yami's secretary, who had tried to revive him, and she jumped onto her desk for safety. Ysako saw him take something out of his pocket. He was holding a gold ball of some sort. She straightened her glasses and cleared her throat. "Sir, you fell asleep!"

"I what?" 'Whoa,' thought Jonouchi staring at the Millennium Item. 'Did the Eye cause that dream?'

"Jonouchi-san?" Ysako shook him slightly. "Are you alright?"

"A-ah," he affirmed. 'What was with that? I ain't used the Eye for so long, its probably messing with my head. Damn Yami's rules about not using magic!'

"It's eleven o'clock, Jonouchi-san," she said.

"Thanks," said Jonouchi. He temporarily pushed the dream aside to focus on reality. Nodding courteously towards the pretty woman, he walked into Yami's office.

The former King of Games sat in a rolling high-backed chair behind a large desk with two computers. Apparently the strain of office work had begun taking an unfavorable toll of him, as his hair stuck out wilder than usual. He ended a video phone call once he saw Jonouchi enter. "Jonouchi-kun! What are you doing here?"

"I'm your eleven o'clock appointment," said Jonouchi, hands in his pockets.

Yami's expression lifted from tensed to delighted at the surprise, and he shut the laptop with surprising enthusiasm. "Sit down, please! It's good to see you." He motioned for Ysako to close the door. "What did you wish to talk about?"

"Lots of stuff," Jonouchi admitted. "Took me a while just to get you in front of me!"

"I'm sorry you feel that way, Jonouchi-kun. I have been very busy lately." Yami loosened his red tie in order to get more relaxed. "I have not been a good friend to you, and I apologize for that."

Jonouchi blinked. 'Whoa! Deja vu,' he thought. "It's alright. I get that other things are more important."

"Nevertheless," said Yami, "You should not feel pushed aside. I'm still your friend." He combed his hair with his fingers absent-mindedly.

"Yeah," he responded, his mind drifting off. "Anyway, I wanted to ask for your advice."

"Sure! What for?"

"Well, ya know that I'm studyin' to get into college and everything, ne?"

"Yes. Yugi mentioned that you had to take two jobs to support yourself and your sister."

"Yeah... Well, you see, I've been researching colleges in order to major in educational psychology-"

"Really," asked Yami.

"Ah! I thought I'd be a school councilor. You know, I'm someone who can really relate to kids with problems at home. I just figured I could help keep kids away from gangs or drugs or stuff like that. Of course, I'd have to get into a place like Kurusame U, and that's far away, and it's a big-time place, so I ain't sure I can get in." Why did this feel so hard to talk about with Yami? The older duelist always treated him with nothing but respect. Yet he felt guilty about some of the things he said in the dream. Did he really mean to say they were only friends because of Yugi? Was that why they were drifting apart? But it was only a dream!

Yami leaned back in his seat. "Sounds perfect for you!" He clicked a few buttons on his other computer. "I think I may know some people on the board of Kurusame University. One of the new professors used to duel."

"Souka?" **1**

"Ah!" Yami turned the screen to Jonouchi. "You'll have to take a few placement exams, but I think you can make it."

Jonouchi's eyes widened. "Kurusame University! You really think so?"

"Sure!" Yami folded his arms. "We've known each other for a long while, Jonouchi-kun! I know that when you set your mind to something, you're too stubborn to give up! Any university is within your reach! Even Tokyo!"

"Tokyo doesn't have as good of a faculty of Literature Department."

"Ah-ha! You researched it already!"

Jonouchi shrugged, feigning sheepishness. "Yeah. I figured I'd check out the best! But I'd still like your recommendation."

The two duelists talked for over an hour. Yami talked about how KaibaCorp.'s game industry stocks had been dropping for several months, and how many of the company's associates were beginning to get antsy. While the video, computer, and virtual reality games remained at a level market, board and card game sales plummeted at an uncomfortable rate. Kaibaland Tokyo, featuring Seto Kaiba's latest VR software, seemed to be a last-ditched effort to gain a profit, but the health inspectors remained unconvinced of the program's safety. DMVR created images so powerfully realistic, most of the random testers fainted with fright. Their partnership with I2 (Industrial Illusions) kept them from going into the red. Dungeon Dice Monsters II, I2's featured game, sold at a steady rate since it released in stores two months ago. "Now Kaiba is looking to his top executives to come up with something to hype Duel Monsters before the grand opening of Kaibaland Tokyo," said Yami, drumming his fingers on the desk.

"Wow," muttered Jonouchi. "Never thought I'd feel sorry for Kaiba!"

"Its not just Kaiba affected by this, Jonouchi-kun. Old school game popularity directly effects private game shop owners, like-"

"Is Jiichan in trouble?"

"Financially, yes. Jiichan won't concentrate on computer games! I've provided the means to convert the entire Kame Game Shop into selling them, but Jiichan refuses to change!"

Jonouchi let out a laugh. "Sounds like Jiichan! He's too loyal to his old fashioned games."

"Ah!" Yami leaned back in his chair, turning slightly to face the window. "I would admire this if he weren't so invested in a single ideal. Yami paused. One did not need the mind-reading powers of the Millennium Eye to see the longing expression on the ex-pharaoh's face. "I need stability in my life right now, Jonouchi-kun. I wish my family wasn't prone to taking such risks."

"That's a big part of games, Yami. Anyone who truly appreciates it will tell you that. Jiichan knows it. Yugi knows it." He hesitated. "You used to know it."

Yami turned back around in his high backed chair. "I need stability right now," he repeated. "I can't afford to risk anything."

"Like what," Jonouchi prodded.

"Never mind, Jonouchi-kun. I have said too much already." Yami smirked in a bemused manner. "I am starting to sound like an old man!"

"Yami-kun," said Jonouchi, uncharacteristically formal. "You know… You know that I'll always be there for you, right?"

"A-Ah…"

"I'm your friend. I always have been. You can tell me anything." _'Tell me,'_ he mentally begged. '_Talk to me, Yami! Trust me! I'm here! You want to, I can tell! So just come out and say it!'_

Yami stared, studying the opposite duelist. Yami could tell that Jonouchi knew something. He did want to tell him. He wanted to tell Jonouchi everything about his worries over Nazo and their child. Of all the people he could rely on, Jonouchi was one of the top three he trusted most. The teen had proven his friendship countless times in battle and in life. And as a keeper of a Mil. Item, he had the right to know the oncoming of a new heir. "No, Jonouchi-kun. There's nothing much more to tell." Yami's ruby eyes pleaded with Jonouchi's amber ones for understanding.

But he received none. The businessman's silence came as a hard blow to his old friend's faith. Jonouchi gave a cold nod. "Thanks for the audience, Your Highness. Hope to see you around sometime." He stood up to leave.

"Jonouchi-kun…"

"What?"

Yami sighed. "I'll send you the recommendation letter by mail. You should keep it sealed when you send in the application."

"Gee, thanks," the other muttered sarcastically. And he left, closing the door hard on his old friend.

* * *

**_Lime warning!_**

* * *

**_October 25th, present day New York City, USA_**

Yugi packed what remained of his sandwich in his bag and drank some of his soda. He sat in one of the armchairs hunched over a copy of _Important Documents of America_, studying the US Constitution. 'Boy,' he thought, 'for such an important guy, the president doesn't have to do too much!' He typed in a couple of words on his electronic translator and marked some notes in his notebook. 'Two-term limit, four years per term.'

"Isn't food illegal here?"

Yugi spat out his straw and jumped. Anzu leaned against a bookcase smiling. She wore her black spandex dance pants, a navy tank top with the glittering word 'Diva' printed on it, and a white three-quarter sleeve shirt underneath. "Sorry I scared you."

"Anzu," said Yugi happily. "I thought you had class right now! We could have had lunch together."

In one swift motion, Anzu pushed Yugi back against the chair and dove into a passionate kiss. Two seconds later, Yugi pulled her onto his lap more comfortably, rubbed her back, and dominated the kiss. They enjoyed the familiar taste of each other's lips. They were both so hungry for that taste.

Yugi pulled them apart. "Anzu," he whispered softly, "what are you doing?"

His whispered made Anzu's spine shiver with lust. "Having some fun." She grabbed a cushion from another chair and threw it to the ground beside her. "I've missed you Yugi." She took him by the collar and roughly pushed him onto the cushion under her. "You have no idea how much."

Yugi's eyes widened. He quickly glanced up at the clock above a bookcase. "A-A-Anzu! I-I don't have time! W-We could get caught! I'd g-get fired!"

She straddled his hips, smiling seductively. "You worry too much." She undid his chocker and leaned down. "You need to ... _relax_." She whispered the last part, breathing hotly on his neck.

He gasped as she slowly kissed his bare, sensitive neck. "An…zu…" She gave him a soft nip near his collarbone, and he moaned at the contact. She put his choker into his mouth. "Tch tch," she whispered, "this is a library. You must be quiet!" She grinned to herself, holding down his arms. 'His neck is always the best place to attack to get him excited!'

He tried to roll her off, but she forced him down roughly. Either she was much stronger than he remembered, or the blood rushing to his hips made him weaker. She pushed down into him, making him moan again. She grinned as she felt his arousal growing under her. "You've wanted this too, haven't you? You naughty game master, playing with me! Time for _you _to be played with!" She ground her hips into him again.

Yugi panted heavily, the taste of leather filling his mouth with each hot breath. He was trying his best to control himself, but Anzu's kisses and the pressure against his manhood made it difficult to complete a thought.

Anzu looked around. The only eyes on them were those from posters in between the bookcases. No one had heard them so far. She nipped his jaw line, earning another strangled moan. 'Time to take this a step further,' she thought. She let go of his arms. "Now, be a good boy and don't move your arms," she whispered. Slowly, she unbuckled his belt and unzipped his jeans. Before the weakened teen could respond, she gave him a good squeeze.

His hips shot up, and he forcefully held back a cry of pleasure. Lust flooded his mind. He needed this! He needed her! He spat his choker out to breathe. Forgetting her instructions, he quickly brought her down into a deep kiss. His hands moved under her shirt and up her back, finding the hooks to free her of her constraints. He then pulled her up slightly, so he was now pressing against her sensitive area. The soft pants allowed for limited contact.

Anzu felt Yugi's hardness as well as the burning sensation building up like a thousand needles of pleasure in her lower abdomen. She pulled from the kiss to arch her back, letting out a quick cry of gratification.

But her clothes were in his way. He made to pull off the offending garments, when they both heard voices a few rows away. One of them was familiar, but at the moment, Yugi's mind was so clouded he couldn't recognize Terri warding people away.

Anzu took advantage of the distraction to push Yugi's hands back away from her. She lifted herself off of his body, so they were no longer touching. "Shame on you," she scolded softly. "I told you not to move!" She reached over and grabbed his choker. She ran her tongue along part of it. The sight made Yugi shiver. "I'll have to make sure you play this game by my rules!" She forced his wrists above his head, and she tied them together with the leather strap. She breathed against his neck again. Trying to keep herself calm, she very gently brushed her fingers against the sides of his boxers, moving but avoiding his erect member. "You do want to play, don't you?"

He was completely at her mercy, but gods, he did not care! The fear of getting caught pumped more adrenaline into his system, and all he could do was nod to his temptress.

"Good boy," she whispered. Slowly, _painfully _slow for Yugi, her fingers moved over him. She kept breathing softly against his neck, enjoying the whimpers she received from her playmate. If Yugi wanted her to control the direction of the relationship, she was going to have fun!

He whimpered again. He was completely hard now, and needed release. His eyes shut tightly, trying not to scream out. His fingers twitched, and the bonds held him from free movement. "Play by my rules." Anzu's voice danced around in his head. 'Please,' his mind screamed for him. 'No more teasing! Push me over, Anzu!'

As if to grant his silent wish, she kissed him hard, madly forcing her tongue around his mouth. She squeezed, harder, and felt Yugi moan loudly against her mouth. Anzu squeezed again. She loved the noises Yugi was making. She could feel his muscles tense up. He was nearing his climax now.

Yugi knew this, too, and he couldn't control it. He was in rapture and pain! "A… ah… Anzu… I… mmh… I'm gonna… aahh!"

Before he could let go, she got off of his body, admiring her work. "If you want to finish our game, meet me in my apartment after work, and we'll have a bit more privacy."

Yugi panted several times before managing to say, "Wh… _What!"_

She smirked and kissed his forehead. "See you later, Yugi-kun."

-0-

Yugi: Well... If _that _wasn't embarrassing enough, now I'm going with Anzu to a Halloween party sponsered by the Theatre department. Rebecca, Destiny, and Brandon are all invited. I'm not sure I'm gonna survive this!

**

* * *

1 Souka? "Really?" or "Is that so?" **

Song fo the chapter is "Dangerous Game" from the musical "Jekyl & Hyde."

* * *

Yami/Bardock/Yugi: You're evil!  
Una: I know! 

**One of my best friends got married a week ago. Congrats, Jennyfish!**

**I have two buddies in Iraq. Pray for them, please. **


	9. Chapter 9 prt1: The Way You Look Tonight

Una: I could give many excuses for my absense, and I will... at the end of part 2. This is more of a test. Should I continue caring so much about this story? I mean, reviews fell dramatically last chapter! Maybe if I put in more foreshadowing of the eventual plot, people will respond.

* * *

Yami: Last time on _ANA_, Anzu worried about the status of her physical relationship with Yugi, and spiced things up a bit with foreplay in the Library! Meanwhile, Jonouchi has been feeling terribly neglected by his friends, especially by me. He had a dream - induced by the Millennium Eye - about what may be to come. Will he have more dreams? And how will his disintegrating relationships with friends affect him?

* * *

_**Chapter 9: The Way You Look Tonight (part 1)**_

**November 1st, New York City, USA**

_Dear Yami;_

_I was invited to the Theatre Department's Halloween Party. Mousy was actually the one to bring it up. I haven't been hanging out with the crew very much outside of weekend shows, and she wanted me to go with Anzu. She and a girl from the costume department invited us to pick out our costumes. Most everybody planned to dress up as characters from plays. Anzu suggested I go as Aragon and she as Arwen from The Lord of the Rings. The costume department did not have these outfits (Thank goodness!), and we spent at least five hours sorting through things! It was torture! What is it with girls and clothes, anyway? _

_I admit I was picky, too. I didn't want to go as anything dorky. Especially if Brandon attending the party! Very many of the costumes they tried for me were weird or dorky. I told Mousy that I wanted to go as a hero. And you will not believe my luck! I went as an Egyptian captain of the guard!_

_Since Anzu has a Friday night class, we got there late…_

-0-

Yugi met Anzu by her College Math classroom not long before the party was scheduled to begin. They both changed in the upstairs dressing rooms of the Theatre building before heading down into the large Studio Theatre, where the party itself was being held. Yugi beamed as Anzu emerged from the rather crowded room wearing a silky, maroon, Egyptian-styled robe with gold circle print. A shimmering belt of bronze ribbon tied high around her chest, making the garment look similar to a summer kimono. (She probably did not realize it was traditionally worn around her waist.) Her gold jewelry framed her face awkwardly, but her smile sent away all signs of discomfort. "Well?"

Yugi cleared his throat, pulling at his gold chocker. "Y-you look amazing!" He shook his head slightly in awe. "I just… You look so amazing!"

She grinned and walked over to him, running her hands over his sashes. "So do you," she whispered, kissing him softly.

Yugi was a bit relieved that he convinced the Russian exchange student working in the costume department to alter the outfit slightly. He wore an off-white tunic tied at the hips by a blue-violet belt of cotton. The sash hanging down from the belt between his legs matched the print of the belt, and was lined with gold embroidery. The sashes across his bare chest were marked with gold vulture feathers, a clear sign of his high rank in the army. He also wore plastic cuffs, neck décor, and a helmet, which were all spray-painted gold. All in all, this was an improvement to the original, gaudy, historically inaccurate mess!

Yugi ran his hand through his girlfriend's hair. If only she understood the full depth of meaning of her wearing princess robes to him. 'I may not be a prince of Egypt anymore,' he thought, as if he were speaking to her, 'but you would have certainly made the most beautiful princess!' He held out his arm. "Shall we?"

Anzu gladly took it. "Let's!" And they walked happily to the party downstairs.

The party was in full swing by the time the couple arrived. The music boomed a fast-paced punk rock song. Most of the audience setting had been cleared away for a makeshift dance floor, which currently harbored a few people moving to the beat. Cobwebs, rubber spiders, and the occasional fake eyeballs covered in goo hung down like streamers. Junk food lined the orange and black tables against the nearest wall. The thrust stage, about three feet above the dance floor, had typical Halloween party games: Bobbing for Severed Parts, Pin the Organs on the Monster, Tarot Card Readings, etc. **1**

Suddenly, something green appeared in front of them. "Wow, Annie! You look amazin'!"

"Hi, Terri," said Anzu.

Yugi just stared at his roommate.

"Who's yah hot- Holy Mothah of Crap!" Terri took a dramatic step backwards hand over his chest. "Yug? Dat you?"

Yugi ignored him and concentrated on mentally comprehending Terri's bizarre costume. He wore brown short shorts covered in realistic branches, which spread up his right side and shoulder, and down to his legs and feet. Extensive make-up blended these into his skin, now faded slightly green, and traces of glitter enhanced the mystical effect. Terri's previously concealed muscles were now exposed to reveal a well-built body, but the long, high, curly, dark hair and eyeliner confused Yugi's normal perception of "masculine." Also, without high heels or boots, Terri stood at exactly Yugi's height! It was difficult to distinguish whether Terri currently impersonated a man or a woman.

"Guess you decided tah show off, too," commented Terri as he ran a finger down Yugi's bare sternum.

Yugi twitched at the physical contact. "Ano… I mean, uh, yes!" He cleared his throat. "I'm—"

"No! Wait! Don't tell me!" Terri waved his hands excitedly. "Lemme guess! I'm good at dis!" He placed a finger on his shiny, green lip. "Not many plays wit' an Ancient Egyptian theme… Radames, from Aiida?"

"That is correct," Yugi responded weakly.

Terri turned to Anzu. "And, you gotta be dah Ethiopian princess hahself!"

"Right again," said Anzu. "Now, let's see… You must be…"

"Some kind of sprite," said Yugi, unsure why he spoke up.

"Gettin' warm," prompted Terri. "I'm a certain sprite from literachah! Here's a hint:

"_Come unto these yellow sands,  
__And then take hands:  
__Courtsied when you have and kiss'd  
__The wild waves whist,  
__Foot it featly here and there;  
__And, sweet sprites, the burthen bear."_

As Terri sang, he mimed as though he called to someone below. Anzu shook her head, and Terri pouted. "Doesn't anybody remembah dere Shakespeare?"

"Oh," exclaimed Anzu. "You're that sprite from 'The Tempest'!"

Terri pointed to his nose. "Right on dah nose!"

"Wow," said Yugi. He had no idea what they were talking about, but he was impressed with Terri's performance. "You are very good!"

"Thanks, man!"

Just then, a furry, brown dog with green leg warmers on each leg trotted over to them. He was carrying a fake, severed foot. "Dere's somethin' yah don't see every day," Terri commented.

"Aw," Anzu bent down to pet him. "Whose is he?"

"Mine!" Stuffy followed his small dog. The stagehand wore purple pants and a green Mohawk. "Sup, peoples!"

"Nice Music King," said Terri. "I'm guessin' yah dog is Kuriboh."

"Right as always, Boss! Megabyte," Stuffy scolded. "Give me back my foot!"

"Dis is priceless!" Terri stepped back as the Duel Monsters wrestled for said body part. Megabyte was apparently stronger than his owner and managed to keep it firmly in his jaws. The group grew in number as Hotfoot (dressed as Neo from _The Matrix_) and Jamaica (Rum Tum Tugger from _Cats_) joined in. They eventually wandered over to the games on the stage to return the foot to the annoyed werewolf in charge. Stuffy explained that his apartment building was being fumigated, and so his dog had to accompany him to his classes. "Is that even allowed," asked Hotfoot.

"Depends on de profassah," said Jamaica.

"You have professors like Hobbes, who is so old and blind he doesn't care if someone pulled a parrot out of their ear during a lecture," started Stuffy.

"And den you got Nieves," continued Jamaica, "who be wantin' tah dissect de little flea trap!"

Yugi laughed. "Or Ms. Pince, who hates all living things!"

"I don't get it," said Stuffy, holding the squirming dog close. "He's usually so well-behaved at home."

"It be me, mon," said Jamaica. "De cat costume's gone and confused his teeny brain!"

"I think he's cute," said Anzu, reaching out to pet him. Megabyte calmed down and licked her hand. "See? Oh, I love animals!"

"Where's the Boss," asked Hotfoot.

Jamaica pointed towards the entrance. "Waitin' fer dat science girl tah come. He invited her!"

"Science girl? You mean… that blonde girl with glasses I saw him talking with once," asked Yugi nervously, hoping Anzu didn't grasp the full depth of the situation.

"Dat be de one!"

"Its weird," growled Stuffy, feeding Megabyte a Cheesy Poof. "I though they'd get together by now. She seemed interested a couple of months ago. But for some reason, beginning of the summer, she dropped him! Just like that!"

"I'm tinkin' she be havin' anoddah 'Bunsen' on de 'burner,' if ya get me drift!"

"That stinks," exclaimed Hotfoot.

Yugi cleared his throat nervously. His friends were getting mad, and although knowledge of most English pop-culture still eluded him, he was quite certain Jamaica unknowingly referred to him.

Jamaica shrugged. "Ah, well, dey deserve each oddah!"

Stuffy punched his palm, startling his dog. "Boy, if I ever meet the louse what screwed up the Boss' chances of gettin' the girl he-"

"Hey look," Yugi exclaimed. "Tarot cards! Let's go get our fortunes read! C'mon, Anzu-chan!" He pulled Anzu away from the group and towards the stage. Once out of earshot, he breathed a sigh of relief. "Kuso! What is it with Americans and violence?"

"I thought Rebecca gave up on you years ago," Anzu mused.

Yugi grimaced. "How'd you guess?"

"I'm not an idiot, Yugi-chan," she said, mimicking his prior tone.

"You're not mad?"

"I trust you. But apparently you don't trust me!"

"IIE!!! I do trust you, Anzu! I do! I just – well – I only…"

She kissed his cheek. "I'm teasing! You over react too much."

"So… You're not mad."

Anzu rolled her eyes. "You may be a game expert, but when it comes to women, you're as clueless as any other guy!" She laughed at his pout. "C'mon. Let's get our fortunes read."

The couple walked along the games. Yugi grinned at the supposed fortuneteller. "Mousy-san?"

Mousy grinned. "Hey, Short Star! Ann! So glad you both made it!"

"What are you dressed as," asked Anzu. "Tinkerbell?"

"I'm the Lady of the Lake from '_Spamelot'_! You know, that Monty Python musical!"

Yugi nodded his approval at her green dress with leafy lace and sparkles. "You look very pretty! Very pretty!"

"Thanks." She motioned at the seats. "Care to have your fortunes read?"

"Um…" Anzu inspected the cards. "I know I'm no mystic, but aren't these Duel Monster cards?"

"Any cards that contain spirits can look into the future," Yugi stated. They both looked at him, puzzled. Yugi nervously added, "I mean, it all depends on the guessing, ne?"

"That is correct, my pointy friend," said Mousy, in a very odd gypsy accent. "Sit, my dear Annie! See what the ancient monster spirits have to tell of your future! But first, the money."

"What? Oh, right! These games are fundraisers! How much?"

"Three dollars for four cards, a quick judgment. Five dollars for ten cards, an in-depth reading."

Anzu handed her three dollars and sat. Mousy shuffled the deck in pro fashion. "Now, place your hand on the deck," she directed. Anzu did so. "Make a wish." Anzu closed her eyes. 'I wish Yugi would have more confidence in himself… and in me.' She nodded. Mousy over-dramatized the drawing of each card. She placed ten cards in a Celtic Cross/Circle position. One card pointed vertically to Anzu, one card horizontally placed on top of that, four cards up, down, right, and left, and four cards in a line to the right of the cross. "Now, we shall see what your life holds for you! These central cards hold what is currently in your heart!" She turned over the bottom central card: Mystical Elf. "Hmm… This card deals with the protection of lost souls. Your question, and your heart, must be preoccupied with worry over someone." She turned over the other card: Soul Exchange. "Wow. This person must be very close to you. According to this, the person your first card dealt with is someone you'd give your life for! Someone you share a special connection with." Mousy winked. "I wonder who that could be."

Yugi put his hand affectionately on Anzu's shoulder.

The other stage crew members came up from behind. "Oy, Mousy," said Jamaica, "what's wit' dee Swamp Princess look?"

"She's a Gypsy Queen," said Stuffy.

"I'm the Lady of the Lake," she snapped. "And I'm in the middle of a reading, so let me finish!

"Now, I am going to give you these two cards, the past and near future." She flipped the card to the left of the cross. "Magic card Dimentionhole. In the past, you were a bit of the protector in the relationship." She flipped the card on the right. "Trap card Gift of The Mystical Elf. In the future, you will be more healing and supportive of those you once protected."

"That's pretty accurate," Anzu commented. "You should have met Yugi when he was a freshman in high school."

"Ow," Hotfoot commented.

"My turn," Yugi announced, ignoring the blow to his manhood.

"Hold on!" Anzu pulled him aside. "Don't think about me," she whispered in Japanese.

"Why not?"

"Just for fun! She thinks you're going to want to know about me, so she might tailor the questions to romance, like she did for mine!"

"I see where you're going, but we both know she's not a real psychic."

"No fair talking in… Asian," exclaimed Stuffy.

"Its not a test," Anzu continued in Japanese. "Its just for fun!"

"Okay. If that's what you want." Yugi waved his hand derisively, and he hit the Shen. Inspired, he sat down, new question in mind. "Ready!"

"Good! Money, please!" Yugi handed her three dollars. She reshuffled and held out the deck. Yugi placed his hand on the deck and focused his energy on the souls of the monsters within the cards. _I don't know if you're really listening, _he thought_, but if you can tell me how Mou hitori no boku is doing, I'd appreciate it. _He watched as Mousy laid the cards out once again. The bottom center card was flipped. "United We Stand," said Mousy. "You must draw strength from those around you in a big way! Your question deals with someone you draw much strength from."

_No kidding,_ Yugi thought in a very sarcastic tone.

Mousy turned the next card. "The trap card Shadow Spell. How odd! This combination shows a sort of conflict."

"Conflict?"

"Looks like this conflict will damage you and heal you, but time is the major factor."

Yugi studied the cards. United we stand was an equipped Magic Card that 800 AP for every other monster on the field. Shadow Spell became an equipped card once activated and reduces the AP of the monster by 700 each turn. Mousy was correct; given the right circumstances and time, this combination could do more harm than good.

Mousy flipped over the left card. "Reborn the Monster magic card. You've had a past life that involves your question directly."

_What? Holy Horus! Is this for real? Is it a warning?_

She flipped the right card. "Dark Hole magic card; a very destructive card. Something awful is going to happen soon."

Yugi's heart pounded in his ears. Dark Hole destroys every monster on both sides of the field.

"Yugi," Anzu asked softly. "Are you okay?"

"Un!" Yugi closed his eyes. I just need to remember that this is just a friendly game. Mousy is not a psychic. Yami cut us off from our magic. This is all just a coincidence. I need to calm down… after I tell Yami! "I… I just need to make a phone call. Can I borrow someone's cell phone?"

But something happened that drove any thought of Yami out of his head. He had to do a double take in order to make out exactly what happened. At a glance, Anzu appeared to have just entered the room and greet Terri. But – Yugi corrected himself – Anzu stood beside him in costume. But the Anzu at the doorway spotted him and rushed over, with Terri right behind her.

"Oh, sweet Moses," exclaimed Hotfoot.

"Who…" Anzu trailed off. Her eyes darkened when she recognized her doppelganger.

Yugi gaped. Rebecca had cut her hair shorter, fanned out her bangs, dyed it brown, and styled it to a point in front of her. She wore a pink vest, yellow shirt, and blue short skirt. Her white stockings pulled up above her knees, and her shoes made her look taller. "Well?"

"Holy body snatchers, Batman," exclaimed Mousy. "She looks just like Annie!"

"That's right," said Rebecca, smoothing out her skirt. "I figured if this is what Yugi likes, this is how I'll dress from now on! I just wanted to try it out for Halloween!"

Anzu's face reddened with anger. "You little..."

Yugi did not know what to say! He was caught between feeling appalled and frightened. He had received strange fan-mail before from Duel Monsters fangirls, but no one had ever gone to such lengths to attract his attention. The worst complication was that his and Rebecca's grandfathers were old friends. If their grandchildren had a falling out, it may cause their friendship to disintegrate. And yet, Rebecca's obsession with Yugi suddenly seemed to take his ties with her to a new, frightening level.

"What do you think, Darling," asked Rebecca sweetly. "I'm dressed like her! I can talk like her if you want! I'll even take dance lessons!" She put her hands together, pleading. "Now will you love me?"

A wave of pity washed over Yugi. His face reflected the deep sadness he held for her and their situation. He shook his head. "Rebecca..."

Rebecca's blue eyes welled up with tears. "Please?"

"What part of 'No' don't you understand," hissed Anzu cooly.

Yugi could almost hear the girl's heart shatter. Covering her face, she ran out of the auditorium. "Rebecca!!" Yugi gave his friends one last glance before following her.

"Boss," asked Jamaica.

Terri gave a lop-sided smirk. His bangs shadowed his eyes, hiding any hint of pain. "Hey, 'salright," he shrugged. "If she don't want tah deal wit' a someone like-"

"There's nothing wrong with you, Terri," Mousy insisted, holding Terri's hand.

The others in the group began to give further words of encouragement, but Terri held up a hand to silence them. "Soft you," he said in Shakespearean pentameter, "a word or two before we go." Terri took a deep breath. He stepped forward, placed his hand over his heart, and recited:

"_No more of that. I pray you, in your gossip,  
__When you shall these unlucky deeds relate,  
__Speak of me as I am; then must you speak  
__Of one that loved not wisely but too well;  
__Of one not easily jealous, but being wrought  
__Perplex'd in the extreme; of one whose eyes,  
__Albeit unused to the melting mood,  
__Drop tears as fast as the Arabian trees  
__Their medicinal gum." _

Half of the room had become silent as Terri recited the final words of Othello, and they all burst into applause as he ended his speech with a bow. As the theater aficionados returned to their business, Terri turned back to his friends. "If dah world is my stage," said Terri in his usual dialect, "den I choose tah be my author, produsah, and star!"

"And here comes a heckler," Stuffy motioned towards the group of people approaching them.

* * *

**_November 2nd, Domino City, Japan_**

"Wow! Your place is a lot smaller than I thought it'd be!"

"Sure hope there's plenty of food!"

"Ferget the food! Where's the booze!"

"I never keep liquor in my place Ya can store what ya brought in the fridge."

"Ya call that a fridge? More like a icebox!"

Jonouchi sighed. Hiro, Kantaro, Shunji, and Noa worked at the mechanics shop with him, but he really did not talk to them very much. Sure, he palled around with them during work hours, but he rarely talked to them on his own time. He used to study his brains out in preparation for the Kurusame University entrance exams. According to the advisor, he would receive his results in mid-December. If he met the minimum requirement, he would advance to the interviewing stage of acceptance, to be held in January. This required a portfolio of his school transcripts, letters of recommendation, personal biography, possible criminal records, a few filled out questionnaires, etc.

Study time had passed. He completed his exams the previous Saturday, and now waited not-so-patiently for the results. He had begun his portfolio weeks ago, relying heavily on the letters to make up for his terrible high school GPA and mild criminal record. Hitogawa, his boss at the mechanic shop, offered little to say about his skills as a student, but spoke highly of his perseverance. Many of his baby-sitting clients showered him with praise and adoration. He had contacted some of his old high school counselors, whom each wrote firm, yet somewhat impersonal letters. Even Grandpa Moto contributed; he hand wrote a crude but effective letter of recommendation, highlighting his skills in critical thinking and logic.

And still he wanted something more. Jonouchi knew he was taking a huge risk by only applying to one university, but he was willing to accept the consequences if he failed. He wanted to prove to everyone, especially himself, that he was worth a lot more than a life of mediocrity.

But for now he needed to unwind – big time – since his fate would not be decided for another month.

His co-workers were pleasant. Hiro still lived at home and played guitar in a garage band. Kantaro had been working at the shop for ten years, was divorced and had two kids. Shunji was a high school junior working to save money for the future. And Noa… he honestly did not know much about the Okinawa man. He rarely spoke at all, but when he did, his accent gave his origin away. **2**

Jonouchi invited them to his small apartment building to watch a pay-per-view soccer match. He had hoped this would give him a chance to relax. Unfortunately, Hiro's suggestion that they go out to a local strip bar after the game gave the host the impression that the night would end sometime around noon the next day.

"Got anything else besides soda," asked Shunji.

"Ya want more booze," said Jonouchi as he set up the TV, "bring your own next time! I try to stay away from it!"

Kantaro held up his hands in defense. "Oy, oy! Don't be so jumpy, Jou-kun! You invited us, remember?" He looked up at the clock. "Game started ten minutes ago."

"I'm on it," announced Hiro, already on the coach with the TV on. "No goals yet!"

"Its still early," said Kantaro. He tossed Jonouchi a can of his own chilled soda. "We got loads of time! Don't hafta go in to work tomorrow!"

"I still have school," Shunji reminded them. He sat down beside Noa on the floor.

Kantaro hopped onto the coach beside Hiro. "Call in sick."

"I got another job," said Jonouchi. "Believe me! I ain't gonna call in sick on a count of this! I swear my boss can read minds!" Of course, Keiko actually could read minds, but he was not about to say so.

"My old lady is the same way," said Hiro. "I even have one drink, and she gets al-oh my GOD!" Hiro nearly spilt his drink all over Noa when Dice City missed a goal.

* * *

Yugi found Rebecca in the women's dressing room in the basement of the building. She jumped when she saw him approach, and turned around angrily. "Go away!" 

"Rebecca," said Yugi in a soft voice. "Rebecca, please... Don't be so upset."

"Go away," Rebecca choked, reduced once again to sobs.

Yugi sighed and sat next to her, patting her hand. "You just have to accept this. I am in love with Anzu, and she loves me. I really want you to get along. You're both my friends." Yugi uncomfortably put his arm around her. On the one hand, he wanted to comfort her as a friend. On the other, he did not want her to get the idea that he wanted more.

"I h-hate her! Sh-she betrayed m-me!"

"Shh. Calm down now."

"S-she said she'd st-stay aw-way from y-you!"

"When did she say that?"

"In Florida!" Rebecca sniffled. "W-we were talking (sniff) outside the trailer (hic) waiting for y-you and the b-boys (snif sniff) to get back. (sniff) And she p-promised to l-leave you to me!" She rummaged through her purse for a handkerchief. "And now she acts l-like she doesn't even remember!"

This revelation made Yugi all the more nervous. He shifted positions, thinking of reasons why Anzu would say that. Was she interested in him back then? Did they have a fight? "Well... Uh... I'm sure she had her reasons..."

Rebecca wiped the make-up running down her cheeks. "Its not fair! Why couldn't she just fall for the pharaoh?"

"Yeah, that would have made more-" Yugi jumped straight up in the air, landing on his feet. "Fall for who!?"

Rebecca continued cleaning her face. "The pharaoh! Your brother!"

Yugi swiveled his head around to make sure no one heard them. "Wai- Ah- Wha- Wha-What? Ho- how did you... I mean, you weren't supposed to... How can you remember that?"

"Well, it was such a horrible day, its kind of seared into my mind," she said matter-of-factly.

Yugi began breathing very hard. "Okay... I - uh - have to sit down..." He sat down, several feet from Rebecca. His mind raced. "Ano... Wait a second... Yami said that the gods erased everyone's memories of the whole thing! And by the whole thing, I mean everything! They-they were supposed to make sure that... No one is supposed to know that... that..."

"That your brother used to spend his afterlife in a magical necklace?"

He nodded, more to himself than Rebecca. "Yes, that's one of the things."

Rebecca adjusted her glasses. "But you remember."

"Me? I am a guardian of one of the Millennium Items! I am supposed to remember!" Yugi shook his head, his bangs bouncing off of his pale face. "But Yami said that the gods said that nobody else is supposed to remember! That was the deal! We were supposed to go on to have a normal, magic-free life!"

"What's so special about that," asked Rebecca, scooting closer to Yugi's side. "Thanks to the pharaoh, you sealed up a part of yourself!"

"That's not the point!" Yugi rubbed his forehead. "I can't figure it out! Why do you remember and no one else does?"

"Keiko-san does."

"True, but she doesn't count."

"Why not? She was a part of the story. And Terri does, too."

Yugi gasped. "Terri?"

"Yeah. That's why he likes me. I'm the only person who believed him when he claimed to have gone to 'a special tournament Pegasus Crawford sponsored on a deserted island.' Duelist Kingdom didn't happen in this timeline, so the only way Terri could remember it taking place..."

"...was if he knew the other timeline," Yugi finished. "The one where Yami's second major tournament..."

"...was Battle City." Rebecca shrugged. "Terri didn't want me to say anything. I think he wanted you to remember him yourself."

"Oh wow..." Yugi stared off into space, deep in thought. "First Keiko, now you and Terri? What's the connection? I just don't see it!"

Rebecca slipped her arm around Yugi's. "Maybe its because Keiko is Kaiba's true love, so she is destined to know." Rebecca laid her head on Yugi's shoulder. "Maybe I know because I'm yours."

"No." Yugi stood up, accidentally letting Rebecca fall. "No, that leaves Terri out. He would have to fall in love with someone from the past, and I don't see that happening."

Rebecca stared at Yugi, her face indefinable. "Are you glad that I told you?"

"I guess..." Yugi shook his head. "I just don't know what to make of any of this!" What could this mean? Was Yugi destined to meet Terri Toriello? Who else remembers the events of the other timeline? What could this possibly mean?

"Rebecca," Yugi finally said after a long pause, "I am sorry I cannot return your affections. I really am. But you have to get over this! You must get over me! If more people remember – bad people – I may be dangerous to be around!" Yugi ran his hand through his mane of hair. "And I need to call Yami about this!"

"Why?"

"He might know why certain people remember!"

Rebecca scoffed. "Do you really want the Pharaoh to panic? He'll tell you to stay away from Terri or something!"

Yugi paused, picturing Yami's reaction. He could almost hear his 'other self' forbid him to go near Terri, except to keep an eye on him. "He might be connected to dark forces after the Millennium Items," he heard the imaginary Yami say. Then he thought of Nazo, who would most assuredly tell Yami. Kaiba would not care. Keiko would tell Kaiba. Bakura would make fun of Yugi's panic. And Jonouchi would get even more worked up than Yami.

"I guess there's no one you can tell," shrugged Rebecca. "But you can't just tell no one!"

"Maybe I can do some research first," Yugi thought aloud. "I work in a library! I may be able to work out an explanation. I'd need to talk it out with Terri-kun."

"He'll be thrilled someone else believes him," said Rebecca. "It'll take his romantic focus off of me!" She clapped her hands excitedly. "I'll help you with your research! I love studying the beliefs of advanced ancient civilizations! Babylon, Atlantis, Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece…"

"Short Star!!"

Both Yugi and Rebecca turned towards the open door. Hotfoot came into the room, a hand over his eyes. "Any girls in here please note that I have my eyes closed! I am looking for my friend, Short St... uh... Well, he's an Asian dude with lots of pointy hair, wearing a skirt."

"There's no one else here," said Yugi.

"Anyway, it was obvious you're peeking," muttered Rebecca.

Hotfoot lifted the hand from his eyes. "Short Star! I've been lookin' for ya!"

"What is the matter?"

"Its the Boss and Brandon! They're havin' a fight again! And Annie's tryin' to break it up!"

Yugi cursed. "Let's go!"

_To be continued (for certain) in less than two weeks if I get reviews!_

* * *

**1 Thrust stage – I realize most may not get this term. A thrust stage is partially or mid-way into the theatre. The platform sticks out from the proscenium archway, so the audience surrounds three sides.**

**2 Osaka – Most people from central Japan have a slight prejudice about people from Osaka. They are stereo-typed as slow in speech and wit.**


	10. Chapter 9 prt2: The Way You Look Tonight

Okay, long story outlined: 1) I had little access to a computer that supports FF.N's editing software. 2) I wanted to post when I got my new laptop (Her name is Margaret, and she's beautiful!) so I could use said software. 3) Serafina is the one who Inspired me to write a great deal. Please send her PMs of thanks! 4) As for the last year, I'm still going to school, I've gotten a job, I have a multitude of other interests, I got pneumonia, etc. And I'm not joking!

Hopefully I can get back down to business before I lose all of my fans!

* * *

Yami: Last time on ANA, Yugi accompanied Anzu to a Halloween Party, where Anzu found out that not only is Rebecca still Interested in Yugi, she's obsessed! Yugi spoke with Rebecca, who revealed to him that both she and Terri are unaffected by the Tabula Rasa Spell; they still remember events concerning the Millennium Items. Could this mean that Terri is involved with the Items somehow? And what about Rebecca?

**October 31st, New York City, USA**

As they approached the party, Yugi, Rebecca, and Hotfoot heard shouts and snarls from the main area. Anzu's voice rang out clearly when Yugi opened the door. "How do you expect me to even speak to you when your attitude never changes?"

"Why should I change if _that_ thing doesn't," Brandon's voice boomed over the heads of the spectators. Others in the crowd shouted affirmation or disapprobation.

"If ya can't look without keepin' ya lunch down, dat's _your_ problem," shouted Terri.

Yugi tried to weave his way through the crowd of huddled thespians. One of the few advantages of being short was the ability to duck under taller people in order to get to the front of a crowd. He finally reached a vantage point near the center of the imperfect circle. He saw Terri being held back by five stage crew members, and Anzu standing defiantly in front of them facing… Yugi almost had a stroke when he saw the horribly gaudy pharaoh costume Brandon was wearing! If Yami, Nazo, or Keiko saw that, heads would roll!

Three men held the strong male dancer back, surrounded by scantily clad chorus girls. All were shouting, their statements overlapping. Brandon freed his arms and held up his hands for silence. "Know what," said Brandon in a softer, more frustrated tone, "the only reason I came to this party was to apologize for Opening Night, but forget it! Some women just don't appreciate tact!"

"Tact," snarled Terri incredulously. "You crossed dat line when ya momma didn't eat ya as a child!"

"And what were you," hissed Brandon, "hatched?"

"Leave him alone, Brandon," shouted Anzu.

"Tinkerbell started it," he countered.

"Want me tah finish—" Yugi had reached Terri by now and tried to pull him away. "Leggo a me, Yuge!"

"Terri-kun, you are right," Yugi said softly.

"No shit, Sherlock!"

"Do not look for a fight. Just walk away."

Brandon smirked at the Asian's passive attitude. Yugi had unwittingly stumbled onto a traditional stereotype he could easily pick on. "Best listen to Miagi, Daniel-san!" **1**

Terri gave a loud growl, but Yugi pulled him back hard. Unbeknownst to them, he planned to exact his revenge on Brandon in a more private way, like turning his bedroom into a gateway to the Shadow Realm. "Let's just go, Terri-kun! Come on, Anzu!"

But Anzu did not follow. She remained facing Brandon, eyes glowing in anger. "No Yugi. Not this time."

"Anzu?"

"I'm tired of this!"

"Then let's leave," insisted Yugi, misinterpreting the phrase.

"I'm tired of jerks like him making fun of my friends!" She marched closer to Brandon's group. "Brandon McCaughan, I challenge you to a duel!"

Yugi gaped. Brandon raised his eyebrow. "Duel?"

"I mean a dance-off! The Student Union has a DDR machine. We'll settle this fairly, once and for all!"

The crowd, including Brandon's groupies, began to murmur in bewilderment and confusion. "Let me get this straight," said Brandon. "If you win, I have to leave you alone?"

"No, you'd have to stop making fun of my friends and my boyfriend."

"Anzu," said Yugi softly, "you don't have to—"

"Yes I do!"

"This not your--"

"What if I win," asked Brandon.

"If you win, you—you get—a kiss!"

"What," several voices gasped.

"EH?!" exclaimed Yugi.

"Deal!" Brandon shook Anzu's hand before she could change her mind.

* * *

**November 2****nd****, Domino City, Japan**

The night continued the same way during the soccer game. Domino City and Dice City were evenly matched, ending in an eventual double overtime in which the Domino team scored two more goals. Apparently Kantaro grew up in Dice City, leading to the occasional potato chip fight or punch in the arm. Shunji quietly took notes of the game as it progressed. When Noa asked him what he was up to, Shunji shyly revealed that he wanted tips for his PE class. Hiro went into a long explanation on how he used to play football in college but stopped in order to protect his hands. "A musician's greatest tools are his hands!"

"A man's greatest, too," asserted Kantaro, red in the face from his seventh beer.

Jonouchi laughed. "Dude, if you think that's the greatest, no wonder you're single!"

Hiro took out a pack of cigarettes. "Mind if I smoke?"

Jonouchi motioned for Hiro to take it outside. "So, any of you guys duel?"

"Duel," asked Shunji.

"As in Duel Monsters, the card game."

Kantaro exhaled loudly. "Don't got time fer playin' games at my age!"

Noa shook his head. "Sorry, Jonouchi-senpai," said Shunji.

Jonouchi grabbed a deck from his pocket. "'Salright! I can teach ya! My buddy, Yugi, sent me these cards from America. Special edition Duel Monsters that are hard to find in Japan."

Shunji took a few cards. His eyes widened. "Children play this game?"

Kantaro whistled. "Magician of Faith can cast her spell on me any day," he slurred.

Jonouchi grinned. He knew the special pornographic cards Yugi sent him would get his coworkers' attention. "My buddies and I used to play it all the time. We were the best in the world! I'm not one to brag," he said with a definite air of superiority, "but I was in some of the most competitive tournaments in the world!"

"Didja win anything," asked Kantaro.

"Sure! I won enough money to help pay for my sister's eye surgery."

"I mean any titles."

"Ano… Not exactly."

Shunji smiled encouragingly. "I would like to learn, Jonouchi-san! How do you play?"

This prompting renewed his ego, and Jonouchi began to explain the rules of the game in much the same way Jiichan explained them to him. But before he could get into the finer points of the game, Hiro burst back into the room. "Guys, you will not believe what I just saw!!"

"A giant Milky Way bar," Shunji suggested, taking note of the lit pot in Hiro's hand.

"Better!" Hiro whispered for dramatic effect. "Two lesbians making out downstairs in the hallway!"

All of the men scrambled for the door. "Sweet Providence rewards us!" "My apartment, I look first!" "Outta my way!" "Unbelievable!" The group stopped at the edge of the stairwell to look downward. A teenage redhead with a shapely body moaned against the mouth of her long-haired partner. She rubbed up against the wandering hands, lifting herself to meet the luscious lips.

"Life is good," muttered Shunji, blood trickling from his nose.

"Very, very good," agreed Hiro.

"Gambare, rezu-sans," cheered Kantaro.

The two stopped kissing. "No lesbians, no admission," growled the raven-haired figure in a decidedly male voice.

"Aw damn," swore a dejected Hiro.

Jonouchi squinted to recognize the face and voice. It couldn't be! "Mokuba?"

The younger Kaiba brother turned around. "Oh shit!" His pretty companion gasped. "Oniisan!"

Jonouchi snapped. A strong fiery anger surged inside of him. "Get your filthy hands offa my sister!!"

"Oh shit!!" Mokuba and Shizuka ducked into her apartment as Jonouchi attempted to jump off the landing to attack Mokuba. His companions grabbed onto him, confused but quick to react, and dragged him back into the apartment. "Leggo of me! I'm gonna kick that sonofabitch's ass for-"

"For having good taste," offered Hiro.

With no Kaiba in sight, Jonouchi punched the man in front of him who dared talk back. Hiro took the punch, only to attempt one to his assailent's stomach. Jonouchi blocked and tried to elbow Kantaro, but was restrained again quickly by Noa.

"Dude, your sister is old enough to take care of herself," said Kantaro. "It ain't worth gettin' so worked up!"

"Damn you, Kaiba," he screamed.

"Calm down, Jonouchi," yelled Hiro.

Shunji weakly tried to keep the blonde's right arm still. "What's got you so pissed off at the Kaibas?"

"You got no idea," Jonouchi yelled, struggling against their grip. "You guys got NO idea!"

"Neither do you," said Kantaro, "if your sister is making out with one of them." He tightened his grip as Jonouchi's efforts doubled.

"Stop it, Jonouchi-san," begged Shunji. "We are only trying to help you!"

One strong punch later, Shunji flew back outside and crashed up against the railing. Noa managed to catch him before he dropped into the six-story stairwell.

"Don't say such girly stuff!!" Jonouchi threw the other two off of him. Kantaro spun around to take a swing, but Jonouchi ducked and punched the drunk hard in the gut. The older man dropped to his knees. Jonouchi kicked at Hiro, who dodged clumsily. Hiro managed to land a punch on Jonouchi's jaw, causing him to stagger. "Listen," said Hiro panting. "I get it. You're pissed off. Your sister was making out with a guy you don't like. But that's no reason to kill us! Like Shunji said, we wanna help you!"

Blonde bangs shadowed Jonouchi's eyes. "Get out," he snarled.

"Not until you-"

"Get the fuck out of my place!!" The Eye of Horus began to flicker on Jonouchi's forehead. The four men stared in shock as the nineteen-year-old lifted Kantaro from the floor and heaved him at Hiro. Both bodies landed outside of his apartment. Jonouchi did not need to lay a finger on the door; his energy slammed it shut.

Hiro made to reenter, but Noa held him back. "Let him be," the quiet man rumbled.

_Help me?!_ Jonouchi grabbed a chair to slam it against the door. _Tryin__' to help m_e?! It splintered on contact, showering the room with debris. _Damn __Kaiba__! Damn nosy bastards!_ He punched the door itself, but his magic seemed to diminish the full effect, shielding it from being knocked off of its hinges. _Who do they think they are! They can't help me! They don't know __nothing__ about nothing!_ He punched again and again and again, wanting nothing more but to break it in half. _Damn restricti__ons! Damn magic! Damn them all!_

He leaned against the door, his passion spent. All that remained was bitterness and frustration. "Even my magic is turnin' against me," he muttered, not understanding the cause of his magic's resurrection. The latent magic had reacted to the surge of emotion, acting independently to protect its master. The modern-day priest had no clue that, while he had not practiced the art for some time, it guarded him like a loyal friend. Had he understood these intension he may not have felt so alone.

Shunji's innocent words rang in his head. "We're only trying to help you!" The simple phrase sounded so much like Yugi, and it opened a floodgate of hurt within his soul.

He shut his eyes tightly. "Don't say such mushy stuff! It's too painful!" The faces of his friends showered his memory, and with them the feelings of resentment increased. Each one had abandoned him to live their own lives, leaving him in this shitty apartment with two shitty jobs to financially support himself and his sister, struggling desperately to be there for her while furthering his own goals for the future. If his sister didn't need him anymore… If his sister found someone else to support her…

Honda left him for the police academy. Ryo and Bakura were off somewhere on their own, probably living it up in Kyoto. Anzu left to become a famous Broadway dancer. Yugi left to chase after the love of his life. Yami had become a powerful executive in Kaiba Corp. Why were they all so much better off without him?

Jonouchi slammed his head against the door and choked back a sob. 'Why,' his mind screamed, 'Why am I always falling short? Why can't I ever win by myself? Why can't I ever be the best at something? What can't I even be good at something? Why am I so weak when I try so damn hard?!'

Something flashed in the back of his mind. _He found himself in the Shadow Realm, standing on a dueling podium with his cards in front of him. Red Eyes was weakened, his best monsters destroyed, and his energy almost gone. His legs shook with the effort to remain standing. "What… the hell…"_

_His opponent frowned. "After all of that, I assumed you would be a worthy opponent, __Jonouchi__-kun!"_

_Jonouchi's__ head snapped up. __"Y-__Yugi__!"_

_The shorter duelist wore a white cape and armor. The crown on his head had, of all things, the Seal of __Orichalcos__! And perhaps it was a trick of the Shadow Realm, but his eyes looked like they were different colors. "You're getting everything you deserve! I'm sick of you always acting like you are worth something in this story! You are nothing! You're not even worth a penalty game!" His mouth twisted in a strange smile. "Still, the rules of the shadow game override my personal opinions… __Mind Crush!"_

Jonouchi screamed before falling back into the present. "Was that a dream? Or is that what Yugi really thinks of me?" The power of the Millennium Eye granted its user the power to read people's current thoughts. _But __Yugi's__ thousands of miles away!_ He dashed to the freezer, opened a faux bag of ice, and pulled out the Millennium Eye. It glowed softly in his hands. "What are you trying to tell me?"

Receiving no answer, Jonouchi's eyes landed on the cases of beer his guests had left behind. Eager to numb the emotions boiling inside of him, as well as the unanswered questions arising from his vision, he grabbed a bottle, twisted off the cap, and downed the entire bottle.

* * *

The leader of the NYU Christian Bible Study Club leaned against the window in content. She felt more relaxed on this All Hallow's Eve than ever before. Her brothers and sisters in Christ surrounded her, discussing the true values of the holiday. She stared outside the window, contemplating the chill in the air. _Many dangers abound out there tonight, _she thought morbidly as the fog shifted across the lawn.

She squinted slightly, trying to determine the cause of the shift. Dark figures moved silently through the grass. Those that came into view caused her to shriek. Demons! Dozens of unholy creatures lurked in the mist, walking almost casually through the campus as though this was just some other night of the year.

Thunk! The girl fainted much to the confusion of her fellow extremists.

Of course, this young woman may have kept her wits about her had she known that the monsters were, in fact, the greater part of the NYU Theatre Department.

Terri Torriello hung towards the back of the group for several reasons. One, he preferred watching over the attitudes of spectators in most any circumstance. To his reasoning, a person's true nature is revealed under the heaviest pressures. Mob mentality and personal pride are often among those. The events that unfolded as a result of this competition would greatly influence his opinions of anyone who was actually involved and anyone who chose to become involved.

Two, he still could not believe Anzu had so readily defended him in front of the entire department. Too many people turned a blind eye to the verbal abuse Terri constantly received from the conservative masses. In that moment, Terri only saw his buddy Annie. This girl, singled out already by those who were supposed to be her peers, continued her social downfall by defending the communal Court Jester. Some may call this action foolish. Some may call it self-righteous. Terri called it the truest test of moral character. Annie had proclaimed in public everything that Yugi had promised in private. They had each made themselves a target; a part of the burden of words thrust upon Terri would now be thrust upon them. And for that, he was forever in their debt.

Three, the stakes had risen too high for his taste. Both Annie and Brandon were excellent dancers, and each had an equal chance of winning. Computers make to be strict yet impartial judges. But to wager a kiss against a pardon? To him, an Italian-American, a kiss meant friendship and trust. But to Yugi and Anzu, who were both raised in the Japanese traditions, a kiss was more about romantic interest.

The notion of a meaningless kiss offered very little comfort. Yugi stared through the heads and bodies of the crowd to focus on the competitors in the front. His face was calm and morbid like a young man setting off to a funeral. He had been this way since they were swept away by the excited crowd.

_**Flashback**_

_Yugi__ was the only one not cheering at the concept of the dance-off. He stared at his girlfriend with disbelieving eyes. "You should have just walked away, __Anzu__. No one would have thought any less of you."_

_"This is the only way to guarantee his-"_

_"Gambles are not guarantees."_

_Anzu__ smiled at __Yugi__ in a teasing manner. "__Yugi__, its Dance __Dance__ Revolution! I always win at DDR!"_

_**End Flashback**_

The mob of monsters reached the ground level of the Student Union. They crammed in between the tables and chairs next to the Arcade, which was separated by a clear plastic wall. Terri caught sight of a very confused night janitor being lead to the front of the crowd by the werewolf from earlier. The mob began to chant, "Dance off! Dance off!" Over the heads of the crowd, the transvestite saw the doors open to the game room. They all cheered, and began to push.

"Quiet," came a shout. "I said QUIET!!"

The monsters settled. The voice belonged to a large vampire in the front of the crowd. "There isn't enough space to fit everyone! So let's just let Ann and Brandon go inside. We'll record the results out here!"

Everyone cheered. Terri looked to Yugi, who remained the same. "'Ey, don' worry," Terri insisted. "Annie's a great dancah! She's got dis t'ing in dah bag!"

"She will lose," Yugi said softly.

"Eh?"

"She is far too confident."

"Confidence is good. It give her courage. Courage is a readiness to risk self-humiliation." **3**

"No! Not like this! She has wanted an excuse to get Brandon away for months. She now thinks she has not a way to lose. You heard her. 'I always win at DDR!' This is what she said! She does not even think of losing. She never has played against Brandon, and she does not know what is his level. 'Even the strongest swimmer may drown.' She also duels in the name of those who did not ask for her help! Who do not need her help!" **2**

Terri watched as the first song began to play on the DDR machine. "Yuge, I don't think yah lookin' at the big pictuah. Even if she loses, she wins. A lot of people didn't think twice when buggin' me. Now dat Annie's takin' a stand, more will notice, and more will condemn it. Even if she loses the duel, she's gonna gain a lot o' respect."

Yugi's eyes suddenly lifted. "Ikkuso!" He dove headfirst into the body of the crowd.

Terri scratched the back of his head. "So much fer tryin' tah redirect the focus off the kiss! Now I'm gonna go messin' up my make-up!" He followed his friend.

Anzu stretched, taking in a deep breath. She had chosen a fast-paced song and received a perfect score! She felt refreshed after the workout. It was the same song she danced to when Yugi set her up on a date with Yami years ago. It always exhilarated her! She glanced at Brandon's score. "You only missed three steps," she remarked.

"I was only warming up," said Brandon, unphased by the remark. "My turn to choose a song." He scrolled down the list, making his selection on "My Señorita," another fast-paced song with a salsa beat.

Anzu frowned. She really did not like this dance. Its steps were often out of tempo. She braced herself as the graphics appeared, and the arrows scrolled up the screen. Left, left, down, up up, left. She stretched out her arms gracefully to keep balance. Right, right, up, down down, right. She turned her body slightly to concentrate her balance on her left side as the pace quickened even more. The steps favored the left, until drastically changing to the right. Then there was a sudden pause, and Anzu missed two steps!

She cursed softly to herself as the song ended. According to her score, she had received five "Good" markings and missed two steps completely. Brandon had a perfect score.

"Sure you wanna continue," asked Brandon, panting.

Anzu glared at him. Was that an insult? How dare he! "I won't back down now!"

Brandon shrugged. "Whatever, Princess." He pressed the Random button.

Another fast-paced song kicked up. Anzu gave one last look to her competitor, and began. Each matched the other's movements perfectly. But as the dance wore on Anzu became more and more distracted with Brandon's smug attitude. His sweaty face showed no more signs of fatigue, and his green eyes seemed to brighten with excitement as the pace quickened. Was he enjoying this!

The final score read that both dancers received the top scores of the game: Anzu second and Brandon first.

"No," came a muffled yell from outside the door.

Anzu gazed at the scoreboard in horror. Whenever Yugi took her to the arcade back home, she only played DDR. She knew each song by heart and could dance over half of them without direction. She used to enter competitions and always won by a decent margin. Now the numbers on the screen seemed to mock her efforts. "I… I lost…"

"By five points. I tried to warn you," said Brandon smugly.

Anzu closed her eyes. Oh, how she hated him! How could she have let herself be defeated by such a slimeball? After everything she bet to win, she expected her opponent's pride to get in the way. But she placed too much weight on her own talents, and focused on him instead of the game. Now she had to kiss the man she held in the utmost contempt. He was her better in DDR; she admitted that. Did he plan this? Did he read her so well already that he knew she would challenge him? Whether he did or did not, to fall into his trap was sheer stupidity on her part!

Trying to maintain her dignity, Anzu raised her tired body proudly. "You are a much better dancer than I thought. I've never lost before. You… You've earned my respect." Anzu closed her eyes and leaned forward to receive his lips. '_Just because I promised a kiss does not mean I have to watch!_'

To her surprise, his lips never touched her face. They landed softly on her hand, which was held in a respectful manner by the victor. Anzu opened her eyes to meet the wealthy man's deep, expressive green eyes. "I'll settle for your respect for now, and I'll cherish it as best I can."

His charismatic voice caused her to blush. "What? I don't…"

"I agreed to this in order to impress you," he admitted quietly. "I figured I may be able to win your affections by besting you in something you love." He held her hand tightly, caressing the area he had kissed. "Music is the bond the two of us share. Perhaps, one day, that bond will become stronger, enough to pull your heart to mine. I'll prove to you that we were destined to meet."

Anzu's head danced. "I… You…"

"And when that day comes…" An honest smile spread across his handsome face. "Your eyes will be wide open."

BANG! Anzu and Brandon turned around in time to see an angry Yugi take his fist from the cracked plastic and storm his way through the crowd. Terri watched on, a silent observer to the revealing events. '_Rebecca is too needy for __Yugi__, so __Anzu__ should not take her affections seriously. But Brandon… now there's a real threat!_'

-0-

**1 Mr. ****Miagi**** and Daniel ****LaRuso**** – characters from "The Karate Kid."**** If you have never seen the movie, turn off the computer, drive to Blockbuster, and rent it NOW!!**

**2 "Even… drown" – Japanese proverb.**

**3 "Courage… humiliation" – quote from ****Nigel Dennis**

* * *

Yugi: Next time on ANA, Anzu feels guilty and worried about our relationship. After all I've done for her! (sigh) Well, at least Yami and Nazo send me something to cheer me up. And that's not all. Yami has a big announcement to make, and it's not about his personal life, but his career!

* * *

The next chapter is ready. Review and I might post before the end of August! 


	11. Chapter 10: In the End

_**Chapter 10: In the End**_

Yami: Last time on ANA, Jonouchi found out about Mokuba and Shizuka's relationship, and it brought up a load of unsettled insecurities that drove his magic to the surface. Anzu and Brandon battled it out id DDR, and Brandon won! But instead of kissing Anzu against her will, he proved to be a rather nice guy. Now Yugi thinks his relationship might be in trouble... Or he at least has real competition!

* * *

**November 2****nd****, present day ****New York**** City, ****USA**

_My dearest __Yugi_

_I spoke Grandpa, and he said that he would love to give you a job! He might have a position as a tour guide available after Thanksgiving Day weekend. He said that he would like to speak to you about it beforehand. Please come to the museum after hours on November 15__th__, and we'll have dinner together._

_Love always, Rebecca_

_PS – You can bring __Anzu__ along. Grandpa said he wanted to see her again._

**

* * *

****November 4****th****, New York City, USA**

Yugi stayed away from Anzu for three full days after the Halloween party. Anzu hurt inside just thinking about it. Yugi had never thrown temper tantrums like this in all the years she had known him… at least not with her. Yami, maybe, and sometimes his mother, but never her! His silence scared her, and she kept her cell phone on at all times waiting for his call.

Terri comforted her with jokes, as usual, including exaggerated imitations of his roommate's pouting. He reassured Anzu that Yugi needed time to get over the unexpected bout of jealousy. Even the most placid of men have moments of unreason. The resulting silence did not mean he loved her any less. On the contrary, it meant he was willing to fight for her if need be.

That statement stuck in Anzu's mind as she lay in bed that night. Fight for her? She could hardly imagine her gentle beau in a fight!

And yet… Hadn't Yugi gotten so mad that he cracked the plastic of the arcade the other night? Maybe he kept his angry feelings deep down inside of him. Maybe he needed to be in a certain stressful situation where he could release it all.

But Yugi fight?

As she closed her eyes, she watched visions of Yugi being chained to an anchor on Domino Dock, risking his life to set Jonouchi free from being controlled by a man named Marik Ishtal. She saw him facing Yami Bakura above a monstrous chasm, fighting to regain Yami's ancient name. She saw him shaking her awake in the frozen virtual world created by the Big Five. She saw him chained to shadowed shackles as Yami battled against Marik in Battle City. She saw him dueling Yami in a desert circle, and losing on purpose to save his brother's soul. She saw him switching places with his darker half in the battle against Pegasus. She saw him fighting Yami Bakura in hand-to-hand combat, trying to grab the key and set them all free.

Anzu chuckled. She knew these were simply dreams she had years ago, but for some reason she held onto them as though they were precious memories. Sometimes it was like trying to hold a handful of fine sand as it slipped through her fingers. Other times she could almost smell the salty air as the time bomb clicked closer to zero, when Yugi and Jonouchi would fall into the depths of the harbor. Slowly, very slowly, she drifted off to sleep.

-0-

_Anzu__ ran through the darkness, searching for something. She heard a flapping of wings, a flash of gold, and then she was sitting in a jeep in the desert. They were coming towards something terrible. __Yugi's__ mother leaped out of the car screaming for her younger son. __Yugi's__ grandfather held her back. A few feet away from the jeep were __Yami__Nazo__, and…_

_Honda tried to hold __Anzu__ back, but she broke away to crouch beside __Yugi__. He was broken, bloodied, dirty, and pale as death. She brushed aside his drooping bangs. __"__Yugi__?"_

_Yami's__ baritone voice trembled slightly. "I… I don't think I made it in time…" _

_"No," __Nazo__ screamed. __"No! He's our guide! He's the dove! He needs to be here too!"_

_"__Yugi__…" __Anzu's__ voice trembled with suppressed sadness. She leaned over and placed her forehead on __Yugi's__. It was so cold… "__Yugi__, you said you'd come back to me alive. Please! I need you in my life." She could feel him! He was slipping away! The sound of flapping angel wings grew fainter. "I love you, __Yugi__! Don't leave me! You promised!"_

-0-

"Promised…" Anzu rolled over as the flapping became knocking. She spread her arms around, finding no Yugi at her side. No broken man, no bleeding angel, no injured lover lay beside her. The nightmare was so fresh in her mind; she had lost herself in fear. Had he really left her?

Panicked, she ran to the door hoping for some answers. The pounding of her feet across the thin carpeting resembled her heart pounding in her chest as her shaking hand reached for the door.

Yugi pulled back momentarily, squeezing the flowers in his hands. "G-g-gomenyo! Did I wake—Are you okay?" He took a step forward. "You look like you've seen a ghost!"

Anzu panted, unwilling to believe her dream had not only just now occurred. "Y-Yugi? What…?"

Yugi bowed deeply. "Gomen! I know it's late, but I couldn't sleep! I'm sorry I've acted like such a jerk! I …" He looked up slightly. "I need you in my life, Anzu! I just can't imagine my life without you!"

Anzu took in a shaky breath. "I need you too, Yugi."

Yugi straightened, still not making eye contact. "I love you so much, Anzu. Can you please forgive me?"

Anzu let a couple of tears fall. Yes, Yugi loved her. Through all of his faults, all of his frailties, and anything else, he loved her and had returned to her. He not only crossed half of the world for her, he crossed the barrier between life and death to be with her. Dream or not, this was Yugi. This was the man she loved, and would always love.

Roughly, she pulled him up and kissed him hotly on the lips. Her tongue ran along his to feel his movement, his wetness, and her lips pressed roughly against his, just feeling, adding to the warmth that had once not been there. She pushed him against the railing of the four-story apartment, feeling his heart pound, his arm wrap around her, his breath against her.

He pulled away, a dazed smile on his boyish face. "Is that a yes?"

-0-

**The next day…**

"I hear make-up sex is dah best, but a whole day off," teased Terri.

Yugi blushed slightly and continued to chop the fresh mushrooms. "Let's just say that it's a night not the both of us will never forget!"

"Neither of us will ever forget," corrected Terri. Yugi had long ago insisted that his friend continue to help him with his English, including conversational speech. Terri complied and more, dropping his native accent for standard American when tutoring his roommate.

The two were currently preparing chicken parmesan from scratch. Yugi disliked helping Terri with the meals, but figured he owed it to his roommate. "Thank you. 'Neither of us will ever forget.'"

"Yer R's are gettin' bettah den mine!" Terri shook the tomato juice from his hands, sticking out his tongue in mock disgust. "When yah done wit' dah 'shrooms, I'll show ya what tah put in the sauce."

Yugi paused mid chop. "Terri-kun?"

"Yeah?"

Yugi shook his head. "Nothing."

Terri stopped stirring his mashed tomatoes to glance at his friend. "Yuge, yer my best friend! Talk away!"

"It's just that… I just made up with Anzu, but… I need to talk with Rebecca again soon."

Terri winced. "Not smart, man!"

"Rebecca might be able to get me a job at the museum of her grandfather. It will be good money! And maybe, since it is a more respectful job, I can look better at my embassy!"

"Den you can get a visa, at least!"

"I has reading up on citi—"

"I _have_ _been_ reading up."

"Yes, I read that America does recognize dual-citizenship."

"That's right, to an extent."

"Japan does not. It is truth that I am not even a Japanese adult citizen yet. I am not 20. My rights came from my grandfather, the oldest man in the family."

"You said dat before."

"Yes, I did. But if I become a US citizen before I turn twenty, I can never become a Japanese citizen."

Terri stirred his pot nonchalantly. "So the real question is, are ya evah goin' back tah live in Japan?"

"I guess I had always dreamed that, once Anzu's dancing time was over, we would move home into the Game Shop, and I would take over after my grandfather."

"Sounds kinda old-fashioned, considering that you came here tah have an advencha!"

"I did not know it was… you know, being forever."

"You mean permanent."

Yugi nodded. "I think my mother knew this when I walked out. I may have insulted her more than I knew at that time."

"Tough break, kid!" Terri stirred silently trying to think of something comforting to say. But all he could think of was, "Home ain't just where ya hang yah hat, Yuge. Home is where yah heart takes ya. Being a stranger in yer own country would suck, but yah doin' something you can be proud of fer da rest of yah life! Livin' with no regrets of idleness is worth social consequences. You'll always-"

A knock at the door interrupted Terri's speech. "Aw, dammit! I had a great ending ta dat speech!"

Yugi laughed. He wiped his hands to answer the door.

A young man stood there with a large box. "Package for Yugi Moto," he said.

Yugi's mind tried to search for a reason someone would send him something. "Wonder who it's from."

Terri craned his neck past the kitchen archway to look. "KC logo," he pointed out.

"Must be from my older brother."

The Italian duelist left his cooking to get a better look. "Yeah, if it were Seto Kaiba he would send ya a challenge letter coated with anthrax! The first international poison penpal!"

Yugi signed the sheet and took the package inside. It was pretty heavy, and was shaped like a very large textbook. "Did he send me something to study from," Yugi thought aloud. "He knows I'm trying to study for my green card. But this is very heavy…"

"Don' jus' stand dere and wondah," said Terri, who pulled a knife from his boot and handed it to Yugi.

"Un!" Yugi carefully cut along the tape and opened it up.

Both men gasped. "A laptop computah," exclaimed Terri. "Dat's freakin' sweet!"

Yugi's jaw hung open as he looked over the gift. The notebook computer had a dark blue cover with the Kaiba Corp. logo on the backing. Another package inside of the larger box held an external hard drive.A black case lay underneath, which held many pockets with instruction booklets and connectors. He opened the latch, and found a short note in Nazo's handwriting:

"Yugi, watch the news on November 5th, anything on national or economic affairs. You will understand when you see it. 011-81-69-742-7264"

"Aw, man," exclaimed Terri, who was flipping through one of the booklets. "Dis thing's got everything! Wireless Internet, DVDR/W drive, videophone, hologram programs, and - wow! A special new program fah Duel Monstahs!"

"742-7264," Yugi recited. **1** "That's Yami's cell number." He looked up at the calendar. "Today's the fifth, yes?"

"Yeah."

"Turn on the news!" Yugi grabbed the remote and flipped on the TV until he found a local news channel.

"Can't we watch ET? I hate da regular news!" **2**

"Something's gonna be on Yami and Nazo want me to watch."

Terri grumbled something in Italian before stomping back to the kitchen. As Yugi waited by the TV, he customized the settings of his new computer. '_I hope Nazo won't get in trouble for giving me this. It obviously has patented KC technology not everyone can get. Even the up-to-date stats on all noteworthy duelists are included!' _Curiosity beckoned him to search for his own name.

Yugi Moto  
Alias: Jack of Cards  
Duelist Rank: Champion (9 of 10)

"Yami's probably a ten if I'm a nine." Yugi checked Jonouchi's stats:

Katsuya Jonouchi  
Alias: none  
Duelist Rank: Contender (7 of 10)

Yugi grinned. "Kaiba didn't write this. Someone finally noticed that Jonouchi-kun is a better duelist than people give him credit for." On a whim, he inputted Terri Toriello:

Terrence Michael Nicolas Toriello  
Alias: none  
Duelist Rank: Novice (2 of 10)

"What's so funny," asked Terri from the kitchen.

Yugi bit his bottom lip to stop laughing. "Never mind!"

About half an hour later, the newscaster moved on to national headlines. "In the capital today Seto Kaiba, president of popular game company Kaiba Corporation, spoke at a press conference about his latest venture entitled'Battle City 2.' As most Duel Monster fans may recall, the original Battle City Duel Monsters Tournament was held a couple of years ago in Domino City, Japan. This tournament was later followed by the Kaiba Grand Prix held in Orlando, Florida.

"Battle City 2 will take place on the two-year anniversary of the Grand Prix's commencement, and will be held in Washington D.C. The wealthy CEO has teamed up with Derek Thomane, president of Excelsior Inc., and Keiko Crawford, co-owner of Industrial Illusions, to arrange for a citywide arena for the best duelists in the world. Washington has released a statement that the D.C. area will accommodate the competitors."

Photos of Kaiba, Keiko, and a man with aqua hair and blonde streaks appeared on the screen. Footage of the press conference began to play, and Yami stepped up to the podium. The newscaster continued, "At the end of the conference, Yami Moto, one of Kaiba Corp.'s top executives, announced his participation in the tournament."

The shock caused Yugi to jump to his feet. "WHAT!?!"

Terri sped in to the room holding a spoon dripping with sauce. "What? What is it? What's wrong?"

"Mr. Moto is known as the King of Games, as his championship record remained flawless until his retirement sixteen months ago."

"Anyone wishing to apply for the tournament must go online to the Kaiba Corp. official website for the rules and requirements. Final deadline for applications is Friday, December 6th."

"'Sblood, dah King o' Games is comin' back," exclaimed Terri. **3**

Yugi had already turned on the communications program on his laptop and dialed Yami's number. The screen remained blank as the phone rang three times. Then there was a click, and Yami's voice said, "Moto desu."

"Mou hitori no boku!"

"Aibou? Hold on, let me put you on screen." Two more clicks followed, and Yami's face appeared in a large window. The King of Games adjusted his own camera, then sat back leisurely on the plane seat. "Good to see you again, Yugi."

"It's good to see you too, Yami! And thanks for the computer."

"The laptop was Nazo's idea. The news conference was mine. I figured it was the most amusing way to tell you about the tournament. Besides, it gave me an ulterior motive to help you out in some small way." Yami looked past Yugi and at his surroundings. "Are you in outer space?"

"No. Terri-kun painted the- HEY!"

Terri pushed Yugi out to the way to get in full vision of Yami. "You made a big mistake in tellin' the both of us about dis tournament, Yami Moto! I, Don Torriello, am gonna come out on top dis time!" He pointed the spoon threateningly at the computer image. "You ain't gonna know what hit ya!"

"Is that a fact," asked the highly amused executive, raising an eyebrow.

"You bet! Just because we missed out on Duelist K-! AH!" Yugi shoved Terri from the screen. "Terri-kun is noisy today!" Terri pushed back. "Fly not, Duel King, for a single jester attacks you!" **4** The two playfully pushed against each other until an alarm sound. Terri squealed. "MY h'orderves!" He sprinted to the kitchen.

"Mattaku," Yugi grumbled. **6** "What are you laughing at?"

Yami chuckled softly. "He seems like a good influence on you, Aibou."

"He is. Wait, how did you guess that he was a guy?"

"First of all, he has an Adam's apple. His facial features are too angular, even for an Italian. He referred to himself as 'Don Toriello,' which is a masculine title. His stance-"

"I get it, genius!"

"Pity all of Jonouchi's hopes for video records of your lesbian roommate's dates are dashed!"

"Don't rub it in!" Yugi sat more comfortably in front of the computer. "How is Jonouchi-kun, anyway?"

"I haven't gotten the chance to talk to him recently. Plans for Battle City 2 take up almost all of my time now. Setting things up with a foreign government is such a pain! I did manage to speak with Jou a month ago. He's planning on going to a university and needed a good recommendation."

"That's great news!"

The brothers talked for nearly an hour before Yami had to hang up. "We're landing soon, so I have to turn everything off."

"I understand," Yugi sighed. He had wanted to discuss in secret about Terri and Rebecca's knowledge of the past, but with Terri in the other room, it was impossible! And as Yami had such a busy work schedule it might be quite a while before they got a chance to talk.

"Take care of yourself, Aibou. I'll call you within the next three weeks. I have a surprise for you!"

"What? What's this all about?"

Yami winked. "I can't tell you for three weeks! Ja ne!" The screen disappeared, and Yugi contemplated what on Earth Yami wanted to tell him in three weeks.

**

* * *

**

**November 12th, present day Domino City, Japan**

Nazo waited impatiently on the examining table as her new ob-gyn, Dr. Takahashi, looked over the results of her tests in the other room. Her eyes constantly traveled to the ultrasound machine to her right, then back to the open door. It was true that she still wasn't showing – she'd even lost weight – but she was anxious to actually see her baby to make sure this was not some colossal prank. She took out a regular deck of playing cards from one of her coat pockets and shuffled. This relaxed her for less than a minute before she got fed up with them and set them aside.

Yami, who sat in a chair to her left, cautiously took the deck. His wife's mood swings frightened him, and he did not want to do anything to upset her right now.

Nazo stared at the door. "Rrr, what's taking him so long?!"

"He's making sure everything is alright," assured Yami. "Give him time, Dearest."

"Don't you want to see our baby," she snapped.

Yami held back a sigh. '_I wish Keiko was here!_' He took her hand. "Of course I do! But the longer he takes, the more likely he is to find problems, if there are any. The longer, the more likely everything is alright."

"I suppose so," said Nazo slowly, placing one hand on her stomach.

Yami stroked her hand gently. "Don't put any stress on yourself, Nazo-sa. Everything will be fine."

"Mr. and Mrs. Moto?" Both parents gripped the other's hand tighter at the sound of the doctor reentering the room. He held a folder with a few papers. He was a bit older than the young couple, with dark hair and kind eyes. He smiled as he saw their nervous faces filled with hope. "According to these results, we determine that you are actually in your ninth week now, not your eighth as we previously-"

"And that means what," Nazo interrupted. Dr. Takahashi chuckled. "Only that your baby is a week older. That's all."

"So… I have two more weeks until I'm sure of no miscarriage?"

"Possibly. The embryo is smaller than expected, but I think that is nothing to worry about."

"Anything else, sensei," asked Yami. **5**

"Nothing of note. Mrs. Moto appears to be in perfect health, no signs of abnormal stress on the uterus."

"She is not gaining, but losing weight," said Yami. "Is that normal?"

"Weight loss is normal in the first trimester. Do you still have morning sickness?"

"It's getting a bit better," said Nazo, relieved that everything seemed to be all right.

"That's good. Once it dies down, you should begin to gain weight. This may help cushion the uterus for the months to come, but don't overdo it. And might I suggest an exercise program to stay healthy."

"A friend of mine is going to help me with that."

"Good, good." He set the folder down. "Now, if you don't mind, Mrs. Moto, lie back and lift your shirt so I can examine you."

Nazo looked to her husband for reassurance then did as she was told. She normally hated anyone touching her except Yami or Keiko. Takahashi gently pushed against her flat stomach, feeling for the baby. "Yes, a little small, but it should be fine." He made a mark in the folder. "Any questions?"

"Yes," said Nazo immediately. "Can, um, we see it?"

Doctor Takahashi smiled. Young couples were always so anxious to use the ultrasound. "Of course." He spread the cool gel on Nazo's stomach and turned on the machine. "Now, let's try to find it again… There it is!" He pointed to the screen. "See that small bit right there?"

Yami gazed at the screen in absolute awe. The tiny discoloration, which vaguely resembled a human being, was a part of him. This small life grew and lived inside of his beloved wife, and would one day be able to talk, see, play, and smile. He noticed a soft, fluttering sound from the machine. He swallowed hard. "Is… Is that…?"

Doctor Takahashi nodded. "That's the baby's heartbeat. Interesting, it sounds better developed than I anticipated. It's a good, strong beat for an embryo this small."

_'A strong heartbeat,'_ he thought with pride. His child already showed strength unexpected in one its size. Yami longed more than ever now to hold his child! He wanted to see its face, its fingers, its hands… He wanted to feel its heartbeat himself! He felt Nazo squeeze his hand. He tore his eyes from the screen and saw Nazo crying, joy and relief shining from her face. "So – so beautiful!"

Yami stroked her hand. Everything was starting to feel so… _complete_ in his life. He had a steady job, many friends he could trust, his brother was more independent, his mother and grandfather were healthy and safe nearby, he was getting a real house, and his growing family was beside him.

* * *

**11:45pm, November 15th, present day Domino City, Japan **

Jonouchi drank his third beer that night as he stared towards the TV set above the bar. He really had no interest in the game. He only joined his co-workers because it was something to do. If he was with someone else, he was less likely to get drunk. Drinking took his mind off of other things. He also had a high tolerance for alcohol and other drugs. It was the one thing his father left him that he acknowledged. Not that he planned to become an alcoholic as well, though.

He balanced the glass on its edge, spinning it around with surprising accuracy. His prophetic dreams were coming while he was awake now. He kept seeing people and things he did not know, but somehow knew they were real. He had given up fighting to ignore the images that flashed through his dreams. Among these was the Seal of Orichalcos. His muscles tensed at the very thought of the name. Of all the signs and symbols he could possibly receive, why the Seal? He hated that stupid, green star! To him, it represented the boundaries between him and his friends, and the terrible things that could happen when these boundaries of hatred got stronger.

And yet it was contempt that kept him from telling Yami about his dreams. He had not bothered to seek out the ex-pharaoh after their encounter one month ago. He determined from his dreams that Nazo was going to have a baby, but Yami still had not told him about it. He saw Keiko almost everyday, and she did not say a word either, and he knew she knew! There was no way Nazo would keep a secret from Keiko. But why from him?

Jonouchi righted the glass. Well, if they were all keeping secrets from each other, then he may as well, too! Fuck them!

The bartender began refilling Jonouchi's glass. "Girl over there requested it," he said. Jonouchi decided to play it cool and take a long sip first. He really was not in the mood for women. Thinking of the Seal of Orichalcos reminded him of Mai, whom he had not heard of in almost a year.Yet another person who abandoned him... Only he had allowed her to get closer to him than he should have. Damn him and his soft heart!

One of his buddies from work got up, saying something about "taking a piss." Jonouchi gave a polite nod, staring now at the amber liquid of the glass. So strange that the woman who had changed so much in Duelist Kingdom had not changed at all in this lifetime. Selfish bitch took a lot from him, his pride among other things. Oddly enough, he did not miss her. She had proved to not be worth his time. He only regretted that, for a few months, he spent more time with her than with his friends. Now none of them were around.

A strange, sweet scent caught his attention. The woman who ordered his drink must have been approaching. Jonouchi turned his eyes back to the game. _'May as well have a bit of fun_,' he thought. _Ain't__ got __nothin__' to risk now.'_

"Konbanwa, Jonouchi-san."

Jonouchi smirked, still not looking at her. "Didn't think this was your kinda place, Ysako-san."

"Actually, I dislike coming here. I only came tonight out of curiosity."

"Curiosity, huh?" He turned around to look at her. Pleasant surprise forced his smirk to widen as he looked over the normally conservative secretary. She was wearing tall, spiked boots, a short black skirt, a halter-top, and a green corset. Her formerly hidden breasts were now lifted, but still covered, under the high-cut halter and clearly accentuated by her long, aqua hair.

Ysako crossed her legs. She had very nice legs. "I took the liberty of tracking you down."

_'What is it with me and bad girls_,' Jonouchi wondered as his eyes traveled back up to her face. She wore a lot more make-up now, especially around her eyes. Those ocean-blue eyes burned into his, and he tilted his head. "Sounds a bit anxious to me!"

"Please, do not think me a desperate girl," she said turning away.

"Iie." He set the glass down. "Just a bit shocking. This is not quite the same Ysako-san I expected."

"Please, call me Hecate."

"He-ka-ti? As in the card?"

"You have always interested me. You see I took the position at Kaiba Corp. because I am a fan of the game."

His eyes traveled back down to her unusual choker. The green stone shone brightly against the black velvet of the strap. "So, you know I've never won a tournament."

"You're still an impressive duelist." She lifted his chin with a finger. "Everybody loves an underdog, Jonouchi-san. I find them especially attractive. You try so hard, but always fall just short of your goal."

He turned away. How could she read him so well? Her intuition made him uncomfortable, but it also made her all the more attractive. "I can deal with it," he said.

"I never said you could not." Hecate's hot breath caressed his ear. "You're so strong! So energetic! So… hott!" She nipped at his ear.

Electricity shot down his spine and straight to his groin. Within the next ten minutes, he found himself pressed against the wall of the alley, Hecate covering his face with kisses. He responded with what resembled passion; he really did not care anymore. Like beer, Ysako was just a way to drown out the dreams and bitterness that had been buzzing around so loudly in his head. Somehow her kisses broke down any signs of hesitation he held. Concerns over sexual protection, emotional attachment, and genuine attraction melted down to nothing.

"Jou-sama…" she unbuttoned the top of his shirt, kissing his collarbone, his sternum, and his stomach. The groves from the toned muscles tensed slightly as she dipped her tongue into his navel, her hot breath creeping back up to his chest. She sucked hungrily at his chest and toyed with his nipples. Each time her hot lips moved, the cold air tickled his skin strangely.

He hissed loudly, wanting more. He pulled her closer, rubbing her against his growing erection. His knee rose slightly to brush against her skirt. He growled with lust when he contacted her wetness. She gasped against his chest, biting his left breast rather hard. He rubbed her womanhood harder, and she moaned with increased lust, sucking and swiveling her tongue against his nipple like a starving child.

Hecate's hot lips traveled back down his stomach. She ran her tongue long the V line as she unfastened his jeans. She gasped when they fell to the ground, and Jonouchi silently congratulated himself on not wearing underwear that day.

Her kisses continued across his pelvic area, so dangerously close to his throbbing need. Jonouchi made guttural noises, thrusting out slightly to hurry her progress. She chuckled lowly as she traveled lower, brushing his length momentarily before moving even lower.

He felt her lips move along his inside thigh, and he growled. '_Just do it_,' his animalistic mind yelled.

To his shock, she bit down hard into his leg. Jonouchi cried out in pain. He sensed her tongue lapping up what could only be blood trickling down his leg. '_Kuso__ Why do I always seem to get aggressive women?'_

The lapping sensation disappeared, as did the pain. In fact, he was losing all feeling in his body. "N-Nanda?" His legs gave out, and he fell to the hard ground, unable to move.

"Sorry, Hecate had to get so aggressive," said Hecate, a strange smile crossing her lips. "It left me with no choice. The drug in its drink did not seem to be working at all, so I had to get creative. First I had to hypnotize it, then drug it…"

"What," Jonouchi struggled to say, "the hell… are you…"

"If it's any consolation, I had to use my most powerful paralyzing lip gloss to take it down. After all, we cannot have the Pharaoh's trusted attack dog loose tomorrow, now can we?" A cloaked figure emerged from the fire escape above her. "Ah! I was wondering if you'd come, Pathos."

The cloaked figure landed gracefully next to Hecate. "You took too long to incapacitate one priest."

"I was just having some fun!"

"Did he have the Millnnium Eye on him?"

"No. I'll need to search the apartment."

"Dispose of the priest first."

"Aw, but it's so fun! Can't I keep it for a pet?"

The large man towered over her. In this light, Jonouchi could just make out his face. He was older, possibly forty or so, with aqua hair and blonde streaks. The glare from those blue eyes made the rats in the alley run away in terror. Yet the girl coyly tapped his chest. "You always could get your point across with silence better than anything else."

"I had to watch over you! You know that I have an early meeting tomorrow! If Kaiba notices my lack of sleep-"

"He'll think you're being unprofessional, not that you're going to kill the Pharaoh!" She pushed him. "So leave if you want to! You guys are taking this way too seriously anyway!"

"Ph… Pharaoh…" Jonouchi's eyes questioned her intensely. "Y… Yami… kill…"

Hecate grinned and leaned over to look directly into his honey colored eyes. From this angle he could make out a green star tattooed on her right breast. The Seal of Orichalcos! "It still talks," she giggled.

"Impressive," Pathos muttered. "Better kill him to be sure he does not warn the Pharaoh."

"N-No!" Jonouchi strained to move, and finally grabbed Hecate's ankle. "I… won't… let you… harm… my friends!"

Hecate's eyes glistened with excitement, and her insanely wide grin expanded even more. "It's so strong willed! Look at it! Look how it struggles! How amusing!"

"Bitch," Jonouchi growled. "I'll… kill… you… first!"

Hecate cackled, lifting him to his feet. "I'm going to have fun playing!" She kissed him again making certain her tongue swiped his throat deeply.

Slowly, Jonouchi's vision fogged over. 'Yami… I'm sorry…'

-0-

**1 Yami's number - 011 is the number to dial for any call outside the USA. 81 is the code for Japan. 69 is a made-up code for Domino City, but it comes from 66, Osaka, which is where I imagine Domino to be close to. The seven remaining numbers spell out PHARAOH.  
****2 "ET" - Entertainment Tonight is a program about celebrities, TV, and movies  
****3 "'Sblood!" an old-fashioned curse, meaning "Christ's blood!"  
****4 "Fly not, for a single knight attacks you!" – From a translation of the novel _The Man of __la__ Mancha_. The fact that Terri uses "jester" instead of "knight" is ironic when considering the aforementioned novel.  
****5 Sensei can mean "teacher," but technically means "learned one". Yami's usage by addressing a doctor only means he is being extra polite.  
6 "Mattaku!" "Good grief!"**

* * *

Yugi: Most of the next episode takes place within a single hour. What could possibly happen in that amount of time? 


	12. Chapter 11: Collide

Una: (exhausted) I have been wanting to write this chapter for years, literally years, and I wrote it out for three days straight.  
Yugi: You're kidding!  
Una: Well, Maybe the Bakura part last week, but the rest was a nearly non-stop thing.  
Bardock: And a minimal amount of torture is the best you could come up with?  
Una: His story, Nazo's story, Mokuba and Shizuka's story, all are secondary to the main one, which focuses on Yugi, Yami, Jonouchi, Anzu, and company.  
Yami: So, you may never write their side stories.  
Una: With that "Death Note" fic in the works and after I joined a LiveJournal RPG, I dunno. I just want to make it to graduation.  
Yami: Which is when?  
Una: Spring 2008, God willing…  
Yugi: Hurray! No more school!  
Una: I'm gonna be a teacher, Yugi. I need at least a year and a half graduate school. Plus I have a job now, which eats up more of my time.  
Bardock: You just want excuses.  
Una: Reasons, not excuses. Let's get back to the story, shall we? This is the most important chapter of ANA part 1. ANAII will be a lot more fun, but more difficult.

* * *

Yami: Last time on Yugioh ANA, Yugi and I finally got to talk face to face! I still can't tell him about Nazo and the baby, but I may by the end of November. Yugi and Anzu made up at last. But things for Jonouchi-kun have been going way down hill…

* * *

**_Chapter 11: Collide_**

**3:13am, November ****15****th****, Osaka, Japan**

The Order of Atlantis required that each of its members be of Atlantean descent. Each received the tattoo of the Seal of Orichalcos to wear as proof of their heritage and in memoriam of their god, the Great Leviathan. They served the Master, a mysterious shadow of a sole survivor of the sinking. His medium was White Woman, who was just as mysterious but took physical form. The Atlantean cousins were given missions based on their individual talents.

Prudence knew only bits and pieces of their assignments, but Hecate had entrusted her with the details of her mission. Hecate, mistress of chemistry and seduction, had been recently assigned to collect the Millennium Eye and disable its keeper, Katsuya Jonouchi. The White Woman reasoned that the blonde priest presented the greatest threat to their overall goal: Destroy the reincarnated Pharaoh Atem and bestow the power of the Millennium Items to their rightful heir.

It would all come down to the events that followed within the next twelve hours. The months of careful planning would come to fruition with the death of the Pharaoh. Everyone was gathering. The time of reckoning was at hand. And she, Prudence, mistress of hypnosis, had been entrusted with especially difficult jobs: Drug the tomb robber, collect the Millennium Ring, and trap the souls of Yami Bakura, Seto Kaiba, and Nazo Moto before noon.

Prudence smiled at her handiwork. The still hypnotized Ryou had invited her to the apartment on the rare occasion his cousin was there. Prue offered to fix their drinks and before five minutes passed, she laid the sleeping cousins back to back on the couch. Hecate's powerful sleeping drafts were among her best work, next to her deadly poisons. Now that she had successfully placed both in a deep sleep, she could easily search the apartment for the Millennium Item.

The tomb robber's bedroom was surprisingly clean and bare. The goods the kleptomaniac stole must be hidden somewhere nearby. But the Ring was kept somewhere here; she had seen him wearing it numerous times. Stripped down the mattresses and pillows, pulled down the curtains, turned over each of the drawers, tore through the closet, and broke open the lamp.

Her search turned up nothing but useless gems and D&D merchandise. **1** Annoyed but not dettered, she moved her search to Ryou's bedroom and repeated the process. Then she moved to the tiny bathroom, the kitchen, and the living room. After over an hour of searching, finding nothing at all of interest, she stabbed her knife into the coffee table.

'_Alright_,' she reasoned, _'the tomb robber is said to be extremely crafty. Logical hiding places would not work because he is entirely illogical. Perhaps I should place myself in his mindset.' _She focused her gaze on the sleeping thief. '_Although that trip alone could possibly drive me mad!'_

She stared harder at his tanned skin and sharp features. '_Perhaps I should have focused on wooing him instead of his idiot cousin. I may have been able to trick the Item off of him.'_ Curious, she unbuttoned his black shirt to examine his chest. The Eye of Horus stared back at her in gold ink, tattooed onto the spot where the Ring normally lay. She traced the symbol, deep in thought. What else had Destiny mentioned about the infamous King of Theives? He lived in Kuru Elna, his clan destroyed before his eyes, the Items forged from their flesh and bone…

A hand suddenly grabbed hers, and she let out a loud gasp. "Prue," asked the fully alert killer, his eyes hard on hers. "Do be specific and tell a fella what yer doing?"

Prudence's jaw shut tight. How, in the name of the Master, had the tomb robber awakened?! Her face flushed in fury. Hecate guaranteed the draft to knock out a rhinoceros if need be!

"Well," goaded Bakura.

She relaxed. "I wanted to get a better look at your tattoo," she lied sweetly.

"That so," he asked. The muscles in his face loosened, but the grip on her hand remained the same, bone-crushingly tight.

"Oh yes," she said. With her free hand, she stroked the Seal of Orichalcos symbol on her left thigh. This increased her hypnotic abilities to a great extent. "I have been interested in you ever since your cousin introduced us. I may be Ryou's girlfriend, but seriously, I think that you have so much more potential that he does. Tell me," she said, leaning in closer to brush her thigh against his, "what exactly do you look for in a lover, Kura-kun?"

Bakura's features softened further, and Prudence tried fiercely to hide her triumph. '_He's mine!'_

_'Like Hell I am, bitch!'_

With a short, fast, effortless movement of his wrist, Bakura spun the temptress around, planted her face on the ground, and sat on top of her, still clutching her wrist at an awkward angle.

"Wh-what…"

"Now, when Yadonushi first brought you home," said Bakura in a tone of one making casual conversation, "I said to myself that he was either very lucky to get such a hot piece of ass such as yourself to land on his doorstep, or he was being conned into something."

"How dare y—"

Bakura squeezed her hand until she grunted into silence. "It is not polite to interrupt. You are still a guest in my home.

"But why would he be used if he's got no money or steady job? I know this kid better than he knows himself, and he is almost comepletely useless to anyone… but me." He began playing with her purple, lifeless fingers. "That's when it occurred to me: Someone must be tracking me down. Someone with not only bad judgment in minions, but also someone who had the power to control his mind. And not just any someone." He bent down so that her ear was less than an inch from his mouth. "But someone with enough power to make my Yadonushi-kun forget that he's gay!"

Prudence growled.

"So I said to myself – I said, 'Self, this someone may try to make a move soon, so you had better get up off your ass and protect yourself from all sorts of spells.'

"I especially loved the drink you made," he said, now cleaning her fingernails. "It's cute how you assumed that a professional thief would not have immunity to all types of drugs."

"That's impossible! You cannot—"

Bakura casually snapped one of her fingers backwards, leaving her moaning in pain. "Then there was the trouble of making certain that any other spells you performed on me would not work. The only way to protect myself indefinitely was to keep the Millennium Ring on me at all times. You see, the Items have a natural defense against certain types of curses, mind control being one of them. It is only a matter of how you use it.

"Now tell me, pet, what exactly is going on?"

* * *

**_N_**_O**T**E**: All of the following events occur at the same time; the time difference between New York and Japan is fourteen hours! **_

* * *

**6****:00pm, November 15****th****, New York City, USA**

The American Museum of Natural History is considered to be one of the must-see tourist attractions in New York. The architecture of the large, stone building alone draws crowds; there were majestic Roman pillars holding the archway above the Central Park West entrance, medieval towers and doorways led to other parts around the building, and the new Rose Center at the south entrance featured a futuristic sphere within a cubed, glass structure.

Yugi wanted to explore it the first time he, Terri, and Anzu took a tour of the city. But neither Anzu nor Terri wished to spend time indoors on a beautiful sunny day. Although the day was cloudy, their interest in the massive building stemmed away from simple sight-seeing.

Rebecca's note still weighed on Yugi's mind. '_Why would Rebecca invite Anzu unless she meant this to be a trap? She must be planning something, even if Professor Hawkins wanted to see Anzu again.'_

"'Ey! You alright, Yuge?"

"Un!" _'At least Terri wanted to come, too. I'll have another friend to back me up if Rebecca tries to pull anything!'_

When they reached the side door that lead to the security office Rebecca had indicated, the guard gave them a very odd look. This was most likely in reaction to Terri, who wore an elaborate orange Chinese shirt embroidered with gold dragons, tight black slacks, and gold make-up. The transvestite saluted. "Permission to come aboard, Captain Stubing!" **2**

"What are you supposed to be," he asked.

"Don't you recognize me," said Terri before Yugi could stop him. "I'm da stunt double for dat gal in 'Crouching Rabbit, Hidden Wombat!'" **3**

Yugi's tension disappeared, and he laughed. He had changed after work into a gray button-down over shirt, a black shirt underneath where the Millennium Shen rested, and dark blue jeans. "Uh," said Yugi, "we are here for to see Professor Hawkins, please?" He felt like he sounded like an idiot in his imperfect English.

Anzu patted his shoulder; she probably read his mind. "The professor's daughter is expecting us." Anzu wore a pink "Hairspray" shirt, denim jacket, and blue leggings.

"Miss. Hawkins mentioned something about that. Hang on." He contacted someone on his radio, muttering something about, "an escapee from Cirque de Soleil." **5**

The guard waved them in. As Terri passed by, he said, "If Jackie Chan calls, tell him I've moved on with my life and dat he oughta do the same!" **4**

"You always need to get the last word in, don't you," teased Anzu.

"Part of my charm, Annie! Part of my charm!"

The trio entered the main lobby of the museum, marveling at the majesty of the spacious Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Hall, with a statue of the rugged president riding atop his horse. The doors beyond the statue led to the North American Mammals Hall, where a large grizzly bear greeted curious patrons behind the large archway. In between the bear and Roosevelt were two large, curving staircases leading to the landings for the upper floors.

"I thought Teddy would be shorter in person," commented Terri, who indicated the Roosevelt statue. "It'd look good in my bedroom!"

"Most everything in this museum is priceless," came Rebecca's voice. The short blonde shouted down from halfway up the staircase as she explained. "Most of the money collected by everyday patrons of the museum goes to maintenance and the constant redecoration. Researchers of different peoples studied here are privately funded. But considering how important the museum is to the community, it doesn't even need government funding!"

"It's big, too," laughed Terri.

Rebecca rolled her eyes. "Terrence, it's enormous! There are twenty-four buildings connected to this one, including laboratories, libraries, forty-six permanent exhibits, and dozens of special exhibitions!"

"Ah-so," muttered Terri, embarrassed at the reception of his purposely lame joke.

"Darling," called Rebecca, "Grandpa's office is on the top floor next to the library! He's meeting with someone right now, but he said we can wait for him on the top floor!"

"Sounds like fun," Yugi said enthusiastically. He wanted to see more of the museum before they left. '_Maybe tonight won't be so bad after all!'_

* * *

**8:05****am, November 16****th****, Domino City, Japan**

Nazo had arrived at the Kame Game Shop to help Jiichan carry in a new shipment of board games, only to find both Mokuba and Shizuka already there helping the old man unload the truck.

Furia, her mother-in-law, asked for Nazo to sit with her and have a chat in the kitchen. They talked about the books they were reading, the weather, and the current situation at Kaiba Corp. "Why isn't Mokuba at the meeting with the other executives," asked Nazo.

"Mokuba-kun said that he wasn't needed," the woman said, sipping her tea. "But Mokuba-kun thinks this only means that his brother doesn't want him to be around if he starts an actual fight."

"I think he's over-dramatizing Kaiba-kun's temper."

"Are you certain you do not want tea?"

"No thank you," said Nazo. "I can't have caffeine." She quickly added, "I'm on a new diet."

"Oh, come now dear! You are downright skinny!"

Nazo smiled and shook her head. She could not tell her the real reason she could not have caffeine (among other things). She touched her stomach. One more week, and everything would come out in the open. She was already starting to wear loose-fitting pants. So far no one had noticed.

Furia looked behind her. "Shizuka said that she forgot her purse here yesterday. I hope she finds it."

"Mokuba and Shizuka come often, ne?"

"Oh yes. They have been so kind to a lonely woman!" She smiled fondly. "They listen to my old stories, play cards with me, and simply talk. It has been a while since I have had so much attention. I miss having kids around the apartment." She stared into the tea. "You don't realize what you have until you lose him."

Nazo reached across the table and placed her hand gently on Furia's. "Don't you think you should call Yugi and make up with him?"

Tears welled up in Furia's eyes. "I don't know… I really feel betrayed by him! I… I guess I'm just a stubborn old woman after all."

"It should be evening in New York. You would not be waking him."

"No." Furia shook her head. "I have dialed and hung up the phone too many times. I can't do it. Not over the phone."

"You know, Yami and I are planning a trip to New York at the end of the month. Why don't you come with us? I'm sure he'd be happy to see you."

Furia sniffed. "He is such a kind young man. I have always been proud of just how sweet he is, just like his father. Such a compassionate heart! And so brave!"

"He'd have to be, to live in a strange new country all by himself."

"Yami takes after me more than Jaone," said Furia, still staring at her tea. "Charming, intelligent, and incredibly stubborn. But Yami is a good man, with the heart and soul of a prince!"

"He certainly has," agreed Nazo.

Furia suddenly looked into Nazo's eyes and beamed at her. "I wish, with all my heart, that you are just as lucky as I was to be blessed with two such remarkable children." Two tears dropped from her garnet eyes. "Even if they leave too soon, they make you proud!"

Nazo held back tears of her own and squeezed her young mother-in-law's hand. "I hope so, too, Kaasan."

The two women paused, enjoying the moment, and then Furia wiped her eyes. "Gomen, Nazo," she said embarrassed. "I have been emotional lately."

"Me too," Nazo muttered under her breath, clearing her throat. "Should I go upstairs to help Shizuka-chan?"

"No, no I will." She stood up. "You stay her and finish your milk." The older woman walked away and up the stairs to find her other female guest.

Nazo quickly poured some sugar into her glass, adding some powdered chili she had hidden in her purse. She took a sip. "Mmmm, I needed that!" Some of her cravings were very odd!

A few minutes later, the telephone rang. Nazo answered. "Moshi-moshi, Kame Game—"

"Finally! Put the pharaoh on the phone!"

"Bakura?" Nazo set her drink down. "Why are you calling here?"

"Didn't you hear me, woman? I said put the pharaoh on, now!"

Nazo snorted. "You can deal with me first, tomb robber!"

Bakura swore on the other end. "Ryou and I were attacked early this morning. His girlfriend was trying to take the Millennium Ring!"

The blood in Nazo's face drained. She said the first thing that came to mind. "Are you sure?"

"Do I sound like I'm ordering a pizza, you stupid female? Why the fuck else would I want to talk to the pharaoh?"

Nazo ignored his rudeness and looked at the clock. "Yami is in a meeting at Kaiba Corp. pretty soon. He and Kaiba will have their cells off. Have you contacted anyone else?"

"Yadonushi only has the pharaoh's cell, this number, and that idiot blonde's number. You are the only person I have managed to get a hold of."

"How about Keiko?"

"Also not answering!"

It was Nazo's turn to swear. "I'll call around and drive over to Kaiba Corp. Where are you?"

"Also on my way to Kaiba Corp. Yadonushi and I are on a bus heading there now."

"And the woman? The one who tried to rob you?"

Bakura chuckled darkly. "Trapped in one of Ryou's RPG tokens! She's in my pocket right now!"

"Great! We can question her later!"

"I already did; I left her in a bad state, too. I'm sure the pharaoh will have no problem getting answers out of her!"

Somehow the thought of Bakura torturing a female thief made Nazo feel slightly queasy. "Yoshi! I'll call Ryou's cell number when I get to Kaiba Corp. Hopefully one of us will get to Yami before something else does!"

* * *

**8:09****am, November 16****th****, Domino City, Japan**

Yami triple checked the information in his folder. The heads of each department were scheduled for a meeting in less than half an hour with the top executives of Excelsior Inc., including CEO Derek Thomane. Thomane had a reputation of getting exactly what he wanted when he requested it. At the moment, he wanted an unreasonable amount of control over the rules and regulations of Battle City 2.

Seto Kaiba also had a reputation of not backing down from a decision. Most of these plans contradicted Thomane's requests, such as the interaction between the duelists and outside influences. Thomane felt that cell phones should be forbidden, while Kaiba felt they should be allowed as additional safety precautions. Lines had been drawn at the start of negotiations, and Thomane was in charge of satellite/tracking systems. While there would be cameras at all areas of the city, the younger CEO had little to no confidence in the technology of another company. The elder had little to no confidence in the decisions made by "a nineteen-year-old boy."

And this was only one of a number of problems between the stubborn business giants.

Yami yawned and set his head on his desk. He really, really hated morning meetings! He would give a lot of money to just go back home, curl up against Nazo, and fall asleep with his arms around her.

"Moto-sama," came a whispered voice.

Yami opened one crimson eye to see his secretary, Ysako, standing at his door with a large cup of coffee. He straightened up. "Come in, Ysako-san."

The timid girl shuffled in, closing the door with her rear, then placed the coffee and three file folders on her boss' desk. "I brought your mocha, extra whip crème with a splash of milk, and the files you requested, including the written agreements with the mayor of DC, the police chief, and the head of Kaiba Corp. security who will be surveying the activities for each area of the game, plus copies of the layout of the city and where each battle arena is located." She took a deep breath. "Anything else, Moto-sama?"

"Only for you to drop 'sama,' as I've reminded you before," said Yami. He began skimming through the papers as he reached for the cup.

Ysako blushed. "Sumimasen, Moto-san."

Yami took a sip of his coffee and groaned. "Tastes more bitter than usual!"

"Oh, I had them add an extra shot of something to help with your concentrate. I hope you don't mind, Moto-san."

"No no, it's alright." He smiled at her. "I'll probably need it today."

Ysako nodded, a rather sinister smile spreading across her face. "Moto-san has a problem with morning meetings. Hard to concentrate on what is happening around him so early in the morning. Always has been that way… even back in Egypt."

"Mm?" Yami's normally bright eyes were slightly out of focus. "Did you say something, Ysako?"

"Oh, nothing at all, Moto-san!"

* * *

**8:17****am, November 16****th****, Domino City, Japan**

_Jonouchi wandered through the vast hallway. He could not see the floor on either side of him, nor the ceiling above him. The pathway set before him was made of black stone. He followed it. There was nowhere else to turn. This was no dream. His mind was wide awake. He now understood why the Millennium Eye was showing him these visions. _

_The Eye did not normally show the future; the Eye showed what was inside of people's heads, whether figuratively or literally. The Eye must have reacted to something dealing with the people out to kill Yami. Did it react to the danger that awaited them in the near future, or some sort of magic spell? When it came down to knowledge of magic, Jonouchi seriously lacked the training people like Seto and Keiko had in their past lives. Akunadean taught him practical magic, mostly for protection and ceremony. Any details involving magical theory or history, even the specifics of the Eye itself, were unknown to him. Perhaps, if Naeem had not died..._

_One thing he knew for certain: Each Millennium Item had a specific power. The Scales weighed the sins of a person's heart, determining the quality of the soul in question. The Necklace told the future in figurative/symbolic terms. The Rod controlled people's minds through brainwashing tactics, connecting the host's mind to the user. The Key could look into and rearrange a person's soul room, ultimately controlling a person's aspirations. The Ring controlled the location and condition of a soul. The Eye read people's minds literally and figuratively. _

_As he understood it, the Items' powers could possibly blend into each other depending on the activity of the other users. That was how Pegasus was able to transfer souls into cards, because Bakura had used the Ring recently for the same purpose during that RPG. Prophetic visions were Isis' department. If Isis had used her Item to a limited extent, perhaps it created a reaction to trigger Jonouchi's Item. Or was it __because of the new danger that awaited them? Had they cast a spell that had reawakened the Item's protective capabilities?_

_ARGH! Why didn't he pay attention more when Akunadean explained magical theory?!_

'Naeem recently died,'_ he answered himself._

_If the Eye looked into other people's minds, then maybe it had been reading the minds of people around him. The first dream happened in Yami's office; Ysako - or Hecate - is Yami's secretary. Good God, he even talked to her!! Why didn't he realize this before?!?_

_The time for thinking had passed, and he missed it. He had focused on his own problems and self worth; he had ignored his duty as a guardian of the Items and a protector of the Pharaoh. Well, no more Mr. Nice Guy! These people had pissed him off, and he was not going to back down from a fight! Never!!_

_He came upon a black archway. Not stopping to think, he marched straight into the area beyond, only to come across another wall. He looked left and right. He was standing in a maze! Concentrating on the Eye's power, the ground fell from his feet, and his body was whisked away through the fastest, correct path. He halted in front of a large mural. It depicted two birds of prey attacking each other. In between them, another radiant bird attempted to stop the battle._

_Jonouchi tried to memorize the details, but the vision quickly faded from sight._

* * *

Jonouchi sat up but quickly fell back down in his own bed. His head spun horribly! At first he figured that it may have been a hangover, until he recalled the events of the previous night. Through the fog clouding is mind he saw the blurry, distorted images of Hecate and Pathos. "Yami… There're gonna… Gotta save…" But the moment he raised his head, he fell back down. 

"Kuso… What's wrong with me?" He put a hand to his forehead, but a piece of paper was taped on his hand. He squinted to read it:

Lapdog, I have injected a large quantity of poison derived from ethylene glycol into your system. It is a slow acting poison of my own design, and you will die painfully if you do not get the specific antidote. Bring the Millennium Eye to the Domino Docks at ten, and I will consider saving your life."

"What bullshit," muttered Jonouchi as he crumpled the paper. "That's across town! Any idiot can tell it's a distraction!"

_'And I'm the only idiot who knows that Yami's life is in danger,'_ he realized.

* * *

**6:28****pm, November 15****th****, New York City, USA**

Terri and Yugi wanted to linger in the Koch Dinosaur Hall before heading to the Research Library. (Terri posed several times as various dinosaurs for Anzu to take pictures.) But Rebecca was concerned when she insisted that she heard shouting coming from her grandfather's office. They crossed the gift shop to a door neatly tucked in the corner of the wing.

A young man's voice carried from behind the door. "—talk to me like I am some run-of-the-mill errand boy, old man!"

"I meant nothing personal, my boy."

"I take it plenty personal when people call me a liar!"

"I did not call you a liar, just 'misinformed.'"

"And the certificate?"

"An imperfect fabrication."

Rebecca opened the door. "What's going on, Grandpa?"

Professor Arthur Hawkins, and seventy-ish man with graying hair and a mustache, stood behind his large desk as his granddaughter entered. "Nothing Rebecca, nothing at all."

Rebecca turned to look at the man he was arguing with, then back at her grandfather. "Sounded like something."

"Some minor disputes of ownership, that's all."

"Ownership of what?"

"Please," he insisted, noting Yugi, Terri, and Anzu behind Rebecca, "I'll only be a moment."

"Ownership of what, Grandpa?"

Professor Hawkins sighed. "The mirror, Rebecca. It was such a monumental treasure, and it must be displayed and studied!"

"But it belongs to my family," insisted the familiar voice.

The trio came into the room to confirm their suspicions. Sure enough, Brandon stood opposite the professor, wearing a dark green polo shirt, kaki slacks, and expression that reflected their surprise to see him there. "You guys? What are you doing here?"

"Us," exclaimed Terri. "You ain't said word one tah us since da pahty, now ya hasslin' da professah? I'll say what I wanna! What kinda insensitive jerk are ya?"

At the same time, Brandon said, "How the hell did you guys get mixed up in--? Hey, stay outta this, Tinkerbell! You have no idea what's going on!"

"Enough please!" Yugi held up his hands between the two and focused on Hawkins. "Professor, what is the matter?"

"Yugi," said Hawkins kindly, "an important Atlantean artifact was sold to the museum earlier this year. I helped finance the funds for it myself, and researched the authenticity. Some of its history may be a bit shady, but I am certain that that mirror, on now display, is in fact the Mirror of Menthoe, the mirror of the rulers of Atlantis! However, the District Attorney, Jordan McCaughcan, apparently filed a police report on the theft of an artifact very similar to this one."

"How can you tell its origin, Professor," asked Yugi, glancing at Rebecca determined face.

"The mirror features the Seal of Orichalcos, a symbol particular to the Atlanteans." He motioned towards Brandon. "This young man arrived a few minutes ago acting on behalf of his father to settle the matter outside of the courtroom. But I assure you, the papers are binding. He has no claim to this particular mirror."

"The papers cannot be binding," growled Brandon, "if the seller had no legal claim to it!"

"The seller acted on behalf of Derek Thomane, owner of Excelsior Inc. I am certain such a prestigious man would not dirty his hands with stolen goods, not if they are so easily traceable. Besides," he added, taking another approach, "is the mirror not in better care if it is given to a public who can appreciate it openly?"

"Not when it is a family heirloom!"

"Dah professah said ya got no claim to it," said Terri defiantly. "You may not know 'im, but I know he ain't one to lie for some shiny piece o' glass!"

"That 'shiny piece of glass' used to hang in my father's study!"

"Well, unless ya dad wants tah set up a desk and a lamp in the display room…"

"Please stop yelling, Terri," said Destiny. Yugi had not noticed the final occupant in the room until she spoke up. Destiny sat in the corner, her chocker and aqua hair sparkling against the dusty books in the shelves.

"Destiny," said Anzu. "You're involved in this?"

"I mentioned the mirror to Brandon. He told his father. I came to show him where it was." She looked pleadingly at Anzu. "It seemed really important to him, Ann. I just wanted to help him.

Anzu nodded. Then she put her hand on Terri's tense shoulder. "Terri," said Anzu. "Let's hear Brandon's side."

"Just as I said," explained Brandon tersely, "that mirror used to hang in my father's study. My brother and I used to play next to it every day when I was a child. I'd know it anywhere! But my uncle Charles stole it from us!"

"Why didn't you turn him in, then," asked Rebecca.

"We didn't know it was him at the time! It wasn't until one of our butlers retired four years ago that he confessed to aiding my uncle in the theft! By the time I had gathered enough evidence to confront Charles the bastard had sold it to one of his comrades and disappeared!"

"I read about your uncle," said Professor Hawkins. "He ran away with his secretary."

"Don't even get me started on how bogus a story that is," exclaimed Brandon. "The man was married to his job! He disappeared because Seto Kaiba took over Kaiba Corp and fired him!"

"Your uncle worked for Kaiba," exclaimed Yugi.

"Gozoburo Kaiba," Brandon corrected. "Seto Kaiba fired a lot of big executives during the coup. My uncle disappeared under mysterious circumstances, and I'm convinced Kaiba Corp. had a hand at covering it up!"

_'With a little help from the Egyptian gods Yami made a deal with,'_ Yugi added to himself. _'So, Brandon's family owned the mirror with the Seal of Orichalcos. His uncle was __Charles __Johnson of the Big Five, the ex-executives who tried to take over our bodies in the Virtual World __over __three years ago. He officially ran off with some lover, but Brandon remembers the truth!'_

Yugi watched in silence as Rebecca argued with Brandon. _'That makes yet another person the alternate reality shift did not affect. To make matters more complicated, all three are here in this room: Rebecca, Terri, and Brandon!'_

"Why don't we go see the mirror," suggested Destiny. "Maybe you were mistaken."

"I'm not," said Brandon indignantly. "And I am not backing down on this!"

"Grandpa," said Rebecca," I wanted to show Yugi the mirror anyway. Why don't we all go?"

"Yes," said Hawkins. He looked distant again, as though he were deep in thought. "Yes, let's all go examine the mirror. I dare say it is worth the visit."

* * *

**8:30****am, November 16****th****, Domino City, Japan**

He had no memory of how he had gotten dressed. Nothing else mattered but getting to Yami as quickly as possible. His head pounded with each breath he took. He tried to blink away the headache-induced haze disrupting his vision, but nothing Jonouchi did helped clear it up. He held on to the nearest lamppost to stay on his feet. His muscles ached. His legs buckled beneath him.

_'Gotta keep going,_' he thought. _'Gotta help Yami! Gotta save him!'_ He reached the tree at the corner of his street. _'Kaiba Corp. is miles away! It'll take me forever to get there on foot. But I can't remember where a bus stop to the heart of the city is. I can't even remember what street Kaiba Corp. is on!'_ Most of the cars drove this way; they must have been going to work downtown. He focused on each step in order to force his legs to continue forward. Block by block, each step seemed to come from inhuman reserves of energy.

Jonouchi let out a sob. To hell with masculinity; his head hurt, and his body demanded rest he refused to give. He stopped rising his feet from the ground and settled for a deep shuffle. His fists were planted firmly on his thighs to help move his legs. More than once the sound of a car made his head pound harder, and he moaned in pain.

Someone brushed past him, and he fell. The cement met his face with a rude punch, and his arm scraped along the curb. Relieved, his leg muscles relaxed for a moment. They wanted to stay here, not moving or pulling. Jonouchi panted. It would be so much easier to lie here and die, with no more pain or pounding in his head. Concrete had never felt so comforting.

He lifted his head. "No," his words slurred together. "Yamneedsmee. Needago warnim. Needago saamim…" He forced his body back up. His legs cried out in protest, and his head raged on to a constant ache. And still, he trudged on.

Step, step, step. His legs shuffled stiffly down the streets. He was nearing downtown Domino by now. Traffic light lined the corners, and the number of people gradually increased. How much time had passed? Hours? Years? It did not matter. He needed to get there. He would know if Yami had died. He didn't know how, but he knew he would know!

He grabbed a mailbox and panted heavily. The world was spinning harder now. His heart slammed against his ribcage. His arms shook trying to hold himself up to stay standing. _'Yami,'_ he cried in his head. '_Where are you?'_

Getting no answer, he let go of the metal bin to continue.

By the time he reached the center of the crosswalk, the pounding in his chest seemed to double, knocking the air out of him. He grabbed his chest and choked back a gasp. _'Feels like my heart's tryin'__ to bust outta my chest!'_ He stumbled to the sidewalk and collapsed with a yelp. _'Ulgh… I can't hardly breathe!'_

He opened his eyes to stare up at the heavens. _'Yami,' _he begged_. 'I… I can't… I'm just… not good… enough…'_

* * *

_'Did I just hear Jonouchi-kin?'_ Yami blinked several times, trying to figure out why his mind kept wandering. He kept staring at the most ridiculous things, like how Muria's tie was crooked and the pattern did not match up at the knot. The colors sort of zigzagged up his shirt, but twisted at odd angles under his chin. 

Yami took another sip of his coffee. He needed to focus on the meeting! Although he knew that Kaiba really did not care about many of the minor issues, he counted on his executives to be prepared for battle at all times. Funny how, even though Seto was no longer his high priest, he still acted like a general. Must be part of his inner personality he could not run away from. Did the Fates place him in a seat of power on purpose? Nah, he was convinced Kaiba's strength of will – his personality, again – helped give him the ambition to use power for good. He was an admirable man in that sense, if not a total workaholic. When did that term become so widely used, "workaholic?" It probably began in America, where people seem to be allergic to work and expected to get rewarded for simple existing in that country. He once read somewhere – was it Bernard Shaw? – that "patriotism" is the belief that a country is superior to other simply because one is born in it. Does that make Egypt blessed or Japan? Or even both?

The lights went off. Yami's attention momentarily turned to Derek Thomane, who stood in front of a blue screen. The projection turned on, and a picture of a duel disk appeared. Yami placed his chin comfortably on the heel of his hand, no longer bothering to look interested. A Pharaoh need not be bothered by the concerns of his generals. This entire business no longer amused him, so why continue even pretending?

Thomane's gold ring was more amusing. It had a gold, six-cornered star. It looked familiar, somehow. When he could not remember right away, he began sketched it into his notes to help him. So familiar…

He started making sudoku puzzles on either side of the symbol. He could write the number puzzles on his own, without the need for books or anything. He solved most of the smaller books he got within an hour, the thicker ones in a day. Pen was enough to determine…

He never noticed the tiny red dot of a laser scope on his forehead.

* * *

_She__ stared at an old building of brick and darkness. __She__ checked the card that read the address, 114 Nagayama Street. And iron fire escape slid down to provide access to the roof. Clink, clink, clink, __s__he climbed the ladder slowly to balance the heavy suitcase. Not long now._

_One floor below the roof was a window. __She__ slipped through easily, landing on a dark attic floor. __She__ tapped the opposite wall, finding the loose brick and removing it. The hole overlooked the high offices of the Kaiba Corp. building. _

_She__ knelt in front of the hole and casually set the suitcase on the floor. __She__ opened it, and began to assemble the rifle inside. The scope reflected __her__blue__ eyes, and __s__he adjusted __her__ ponytail to avoid allowing __her__ long aqua hair to cover his eyes._

_A strange jingle sounded, and he took out the walkie talkie at his hip. "Everything ready," asked Pathos on the other end._

_"Almost," he said in a strange female voice. "I'm in position. Just need to finish assembly."_

_"Wait until I am clear of the target. When I point to the graph__ on the screen__, take your shot. No one will be looking at the pharaoh."_

_"Don't sweat it, Pa-chan," __Hecate__ chided playfully. "Everything is under control."_

* * *

"Jonouchi! Jonouchi, wake up!" 

Jonouchi hardly noticed the hand slapping his cheek, but he recognized the voice. His eyes fluttered open. "Honda…" He groaned and held his chest.

"Jonouchi," said Honda loudly. "Stay with me, man! Nazo called me. She said you might be in touble!" He held up the note he had pried from Jonouchi's fist. "She didn't mention anything about blackmail or poison! What the hell've you gotten yourself into this time?"

"N-no…" Jonouchi sat up on the flopping, spinning pavement. "S-snotmee… Y-Yami… mortrublnme…"

"What was that?" Honda was checking his friend's vital signs. "The poison you took is based on an alcohol, so your speech is slurred. Speak slowly and tell me what's going on! Somethin' about Yami?"

Jonouchi took several deep breaths. "Hecate… pois'n me… cuz… I know… she gonna… shoo Yami… Lon'gun… buildin'… near… Kaib'corp…Gonna… kill 'im…" He grabbed Honda's jacket collar to pull himself to his feet. "Gonna… Gonnageshot… Igottasavim!"

"Whoa, buddy, you ain't going nowhere like this! I need to get you to a hospital. Your blood pressure is pushin' 150!" He turned around to radio in for an ambulance.

"No!" Jonouchi refused to go to a hospital when Yami's life was in danger. He pulled himself up using the building he was nearest to for support. "I gotta… save'ami… Gotta save…" He struggled to keep walking. "Nagayamastreet… Onef'rteen… Gonna kill… Gotta save…"

Honda's strong arms gripped his shoulders. "Alright, buddy. I know better than to stop you when you get like this. Nagayama Street, right?" He pulled Jonouchi's arm around his shoulders. "I know the area. You ride on the back of my motorcycle. Just hold on tight, okay?"

Jonouchi nodded. It's all he had the strength to do.

* * *

**8:42****am, November 16****th, ****Kyoto Airport****, Japan**

Keiko waved to Isis as she, Karim, and Marik passed through the gates. "Ishizu-saan!"

"Keiko," called Isis back. "It is so good to see you again!"

Karim gave the curly-haired shaman a nod. Marik turned away; he still had not forgotten how his other personality tried to rape her several years ago. It caused him a fresh wave of shame every time he saw her again. A girl behind him shook Keiko's hand, introducing herself as a companion of the Ishtals. Her name was Faith.

The group got their bags quickly, as Keiko's influence sped them through customs. "And the twins have doubled in size, and should be drinking without a spout soon!"

"I cannot wait to see your children again, Keiko. We really need to come more often."

"Why did you come now?"

"Our associate, Faith, mentioned that she has a family reunion in Domino later today," said Karim. "She insisted we accompany her. She has never been so far away from Egypt before."

Keiko looked hard at the girl, whose glasses obscured a clear look at her green eyes. "Funny," said Keiko softly. "I could have sworn I've seen you before."

Faith made sure her Seal of Orichalcos tattoo was covered on her arm. _'By the end of today, once the pharaoh is dead and your husband captured, you will never forget my face, Kei!'_

* * *

**8:53****am, November 16****th****, Domino City, Japan**

Honda's motorcycle stopped outside 114 Nagayama Street, a broken down brick warehouse. "Okay, oh suicidal one," said Honda to the half-conscious man clinging to his back. "The doors and windows are boarded up. How is a sniper supposed to get in?"

Jonouchi wearily pointed his finger to the side of the building, not bothering to raise his head. The ladder to the fire escape had been pulled down. "I'll be damned," Honda muttered. He honestly had no idea how Jonouchi would know such things. All he could think of was "gang violence, but he thought his friend had severed all of his ties to gang warfare years ago. Besides if someone was after Yami, it clearly wasn't gang related. Then how did he know about the fire escape?

Honda patted the gun in his belt. He had only been cleared to be issued a sidearm earlier that week. 'Talk about luck,' he thought half sarcastically, half earnestly.

Jonouchi started breathing harder. Honda slipped off the bike and laid his friend on the seat in a somewhat comfortable position. "I'll check it out, Jou. Don't move, and don't die on me! Everything's gonna be alright now." He looked up to an open window, just below the roof. "Time to go kick some ass!"

* * *

Nazo smacked the steering wheel impatiently. "Damn traffic! Is it always this bad downtown?" She adjusted her mirror and sighed. She needed to calm down. All of this stress was not good for her or the baby. 

She leaned back and listened to the pop music playing loudly on her stereo. The streets always seemed so crowded in the morning. She hated crowds. She wished she could make them go away and drive to her husband in peace. The bumper to bumper traffic only made her feel more boxed in, especially with an SUV on either side of her.

The car to her left moved, and she caught sight of a dark shadow amidst the herds of people. She blinked and it was gone. She shivered. The appearances and disappearances of hooded figures reminded her of when she thought she was insane, back when Minkabh stalked her on the other side of Japan. That was before she met Yami and found out that the visions she had were of her past life, and that the man stalking her was really there. Granted he wanted to kill her, but Yami saved her, and proved to her that she was not crazy.

Just as she remembered this, she caught sight of it again, only now it appeared closer. She turned her attention to the car in front of her. 'Stop it,' she ordered herself. 'Minkabh is dead! His soul was maimed and banished to the Shadow Realm! There is no way he can be here!'

* * *

'_This is bad_,' Yugi thought as they walked through the lower corridors of the museum. '_Examining anything with the Seal of Orichalcos is bad enough, but most of the people here have ties to it in some way. Whatever magic this mirror might have, it can't be good._' 

"Anzu," whispered Yugi in Japanese. "You don't have to come with us. You can wait in the lobby with Terri."

"Are you serious," asked Anzu. "Leave after all this build-up? I can't wait to see what all the fuss is about!"

Yugi gulped. He really hoped he was just being paranoid. '_One thing's for sure: I'm calling Yami the first chance I get!'_

"Here we are," said Hawkins, "beside the Roman and Greek exhibits. The entire wing is dedicated to the most powerful nations of ancient times."

Hanging on the wall amidst the roman pillars was a sign reading: "Atlantis: Myth of Fact?" The captions beneath each artifact quarreled as to whether each piece was a product of another country or to Plato's infamous city of legend. At the center of the exhibit was a full length mirror. Bronze leaves and tendrils wove along the frame, curving relentlessly into the cracked glass and down the sides to the floor. Distorted faces peeked out from between the vines, jutting out strangely, as though asserting their superiority to the natural representations. At the top center of the mirror, embossed on the metal frame, was the Seal of Orichalcos.

Yugi shuddered involuntarily.

"Magnificent, is it not," gushed the professor. "And so well kept! To think that this mirror is over ten millennia old and that it once hung in the palace of the Atlantean king!"

"It also once hung in the mansion of the McCaughcan family," Brandon snapped. "I'll call my father. I am one hundred percent positive this is our missing mirror."

"Looks like something the Marquis de Sade would appreciate," commented Terri. **7**

"Creepy," whispered Anzu. The symbol reminded her of several dreams she had, but she did not want to sound crazy. "I've never seen anything like this before!"

"No kiddin'? I saw somethin' just like it at Hot Topic de othah day!" **8**

"What do you think, Yugi," asked Rebecca.

"I think I want to go to dinner," he muttered, taking Anzu's arm to lead her away.

* * *

"Stop right there," Honda yelled, pointing his gun at the figure kneeling beside a Navy sniper rifle. "Don't move! You're under arrest!" 

Ysako groaned. "Interruptions! Too many interruptions!" She reached in her coat to pull out what looked like a soda can.

"I said don't-" But he waited a second too long. The gas Ysako released stung his eyes and hurt his lungs, but Honda could tell see that Hecate continued focusing on her target. "Stop!"

"No mortal man will stop the destruction of the pharaoh, nor shall he stop the rise of my Master!" She eased her forefinger from the resting position to the trigger.

* * *

"It won't take your soul this time, Darling." 

Yugi froze in shock. How could Rebecca say something like that!

"That's what you're afraid of, isn't it," asked Rebecca. "The Seal took away your soul the last time you saw it. You're afraid it'll do it again."

Hawkins laughed. "Rebecca! You are being over dramatic!"

"Last time," asked Brandon suspiciously.

Yugi turned around. "Rebecca, please!"

"My grandfather wants to study this, Darling," said Rebecca calmly. "He doesn't believe me when I tell him that this mirror could be dangerous. He needs to be reminded of what the symbol means, and you have to be the one to tell him!"

"Not now," Yugi whispered through clenched teeth.

Rebecca's eyes narrowed. "Don't you care about my grandpa, Yugi?! He needs to get rid of this thing before it takes away his soul!"

"His soul," asked Brandon.

Hawkins shook his head. "Rebecca…"

"Yugi, I'm beggin you! You have to convince him!"

"Shut up, Rebecca," Yugi snapped. His eyes shifted to the confused expressions on the faces of Anzu, Terri, and Brandon. "We can talk about this here later."

Rebecca's eyes grew with understanding. "You mean, you haven't even told Anzu?"

Anzu pulled away from Yugi. She clearly felt uneasy about her boyfriend's sudden, uncharacteristic shift in attitude. "Yugi, what's she talking about?"

"I…" Yugi swallowed the fear in his throat. "I can't… I promised…"

* * *

Nazo listened to the music, trying to focus on anything with a steady rhythm. She needed stability right now. She needed some sort of reassurance that order existed. She exhaled loudly. "See? Everything's fine!" 

She looked up ahead of her and saw a hooded figure on the hood of the car. The car passed through a yellow traffic light, which turned red for Nazo. The shadow moved away as quickly as it had appeared, and was gone.

* * *

"You promised who," demanded Rebecca, "the pharaoh? The man responsible for taking your soul in the first place?" 

Yugi closed the distance between himself and the blonde in less than a second. "You have no idea what happened out there in that desert," he snarled softly. "You don't know what he had to go though!"

"Yeah," whispered Rebecca sarcastically, "betraying your best friend in order to get power must be tough!"

* * *

The building shook and Hecate stopped to brace herself. "Damn lap dog," she snarled. "It's always getting in the way!" 

Honda turned to look down into the warehouse. To his absolute shock, he saw Jonouchi standing in front of a gaping hole where the door used to be. A golden eye gleamed brightly on his forehead, and his eyes glowed a bright red. "I won't let you hurt any of my friends!"

Hecate stood to face Jonouchi on the higher level. "Beat a dog hard enough, it stops barking. Guess I haven't beaten it down enough yet!" She sent out another smoke bomb.

Jonouchi waved his arm, and the smoke cleared instantly. The gust knocked over several drums of whatever on the landing where Hecate stood, and she managed to kick them away from the rifle. She grinned unnaturally wide. "Looks like it learned some new tricks! How delightful!" She whipped out what appeared to be a water gun and shot several streams of some strange substance. The liquid solidified to a gum each time it hit something on the floor.

Jonouchi jumped away from almost every shot. One finally hit his leg, and he roared as it stuck to the floor. Three shots later and he was completely covered.

* * *

"Whatever problems you have with my brother you can take up with him, but I won't stand here listening to you play innocent. You forced me into a corner, Rebecca! I can't believe I let you! You're forcing me to choose between my loyalty to my brother and to Anzu! You're making her think I'm keeping secrets from her!" 

"Aren't you?"

"None that I can help! I can't even explain myself to her without betraying Yami's trust!"

Terri took a step towards them. "Yuge…"

"Stay away, Terri," Yugi yelled. Ignoring his friend's hurt feelings, he turned back to Rebecca. "I'm sick of you trying to pull us apart again!"

* * *

Hecate cackled. "Stupid dog never took his shots! It needed to be neutered for its own good!" She spun around and hit Honda, who was inches from the rifle. "Uh-uh-uh! No touching my toys!"

Honda struggled to move his legs and reach the rifle. He raised his gun to knock it off its aim, but Hecate shot his arm. "Kuso!"

Hecate giggled insanely. "Naughty puppy, always hanging trying to help your friend! Even with a gun, I have a stronger bite!" She grinned to reveal wolfish teeth. "I'll play with you after I…" She stopped. A look of horror crossed her face.

Jonouchi's voice mixed with that of a dragon's roar as he screamed under the sticky substance. A black and red power spun around him. The substance was breaking away!

Hecate quickly bent down back to the scope. "No! No one shall stop me! I won't let it stop me!"

She pulled the trigger.

* * *

Nazo's hands shook violently on the steering wheel. So many people around her! So boxed in with no escape! Now she was seeing her greatest enemy's ghost everywhere she turned!

A waved of confusion and comfort eminated from her abdomen. Nazo placed a hand to her child's current home. 'Don't worry, my dear,' she reassured her baby. "Momma's here. There's nothing to be afraid of.'

She lifted her head and looked in the rearview mirror. The shadow was in her back seat!

Nazo screamed, slammed her foot on the gas pedal, and drove against the red light.

* * *

Bakura helped his cousin and former host from the bus. "Are we there yet," asked the still drugged teenager.

"We have to change buses." He petted Ryou's head affectionately. "Not much longer now."

But the words had barely left his mouth when a high-pitched scream pierced the air. He turned around just in time to witness a car suddenly bolt into the middle of the intersection and get hit by three more cars from both sides of oncoming traffic!

* * *

"And I'm tired of you accusing me all the time! Don't you want to help my grandfather?"

"Uh, Yuge…" Terri sounded more urgent.

"Not as much as you want Anzu to hate me!"

"That's ridiculous!"

"Yugi!!"

Both Yugi and Rebecca turned. "What?!"

Terri pointed behind them. The Mirror of Menthos had transformed into a swirling vortex of black and purple. Yugi tried to pull Rebecca aside, but they were both swept up into its depths.

-0-

Yugi: Next time on ANA, Rebecca and I wake up in the Shadow Realm! What the heck is going on?! And how can I get home without the proper spell?

* * *

**1 Dungeons & Dragons: a very popular tabletop RPG game  
****2 Captain Stubing – captain of "The Love Boat," a TV show of yesteryear  
****3 "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" – martial arts/fantasy film  
****4 Jackie Chan – one of the most world renowned martial arts actors, usually acts in comedies  
****5 Cirque de Sole – an organization of performers famous for elaborate/bizarre costumes, sets, and stunts  
****7 Marquis de Sade – a man known for writing sexually explicit plays dealing with dominance and bondage****; the word "sadist" was termed after his exploits  
****8 Hot Topic – a store chain known for selling gothic, manic, and hard rock merchandise**

Song is "Collide" by Skillet (chosen by Ruka, my faithful beta!)


	13. Chapter 12: On the Trail We Blaze

_**Chapter 12: On the Trail We Blaze**_

**The Shadow Realm, outside of time**

"Darling! Darling!"

Yugi could hardly breathe. The air around him pressed against his chest. 'Dark air... Evil energy... All around... Hurts to move…'

"Darling! Please be alive!"

Yugi forced his eyes open. Rebecca shook him again. "You're okay!" She pulled at him. "Hurry! Get up!"

Yugi groaned. The fall had bruised him somewhat, and his face hurt from hitting stone. The dark energy of the Shadow Realm seriously damages all pure-hearted souls who enter, and Yugi knew he might not last very long without a shield charm. Shaking the cobwebs from his head, he asked, "Rebecca? What happened?"

She hugged onto him. "It's dark, it's cold, and I'm scared! Get me out of here, Darling!"

Yugi grunted, pulling his arm away to pick up the Shen. 'Rebecca must be feeling the effects of the dark powers here, too,' Yugi decided. 'No pure-soul deserves this! I've got to protect her!' He held the magical object above his head. The light shone over them both, and Yugi felt his lungs fill with clean life. "That's better!"

"What was that," asked Rebecca.

"Something to keep us going until we find help." As Rebecca awed at the Shen, Yugi looked around. They were definitely in the Shadow Realm; no mistaking the purple and black clouds and endless stretch of space. They landed on a bridge of sorts made of cobblestones. Behind them was the mirror, or at least it's other worldly duplicate. That must have been how they arrived. The bridge lead to a stone archway, which further lead to the dark depths of a large rock floating amidst the magic of the Shadow Realm. It appeared to have been part of a greater whole, but of what Yugi did not know.

"Come on," said Yugi, pulling Rebecca towards the archway.

"But... the mirror..."

"If it managed to pull us through, then a spell triggers it. Without the proper spell, I can't reverse the portal to take us back to our world. And I don't know one by heart." [**1] **He squinted, trying to make out the writing on the top of the archway. "We ought to at least find out where we are."

"What makes you think we can," asked Rebecca, pulling away from him. "Let's get away from here!"

"Hang on!" Yugi lifted the Shen higher to read by the light. "'En memorium et Manetho.' That means 'In memory of'... something."

"Manetho," said Rebecca impatiently. "He was a historian from Ptolemic times! He was connected to the Mediterranean coastal areas, including Rome, Greece, Crete, Egypt, and Libya!"

"Right," said Yugi, trying to not snap at the know-it-all. "He was an Egyptian priest who wrote the first whole recorded history of Egypt."

"Not whole. It was never fully found!"

"Either way," Yugi added, raising his voice to talk over Rebecca, "he's connected to whatever this is. Looks like a city of sorts." He examined the walls. "But Manetho lived around the fall of the pharaohs of Egypt. Magic in practice had died long ago, so he couldn't've been taught how to come here. Unless someone else knew magic - and him. But why this crumbling memorial?"

"Looks like a pathway to me."

Yugi only just realized that Rebecca had stepped through the archway. "Rebecca!!" Yugi cautiously walked through and grabbed her wrist. "Are you crazy? We don't know if something might be booby-trapped! Don't move or touch anything unless I sense its okay first, got it?"

Rebecca stared at him for a moment. "Any ideas?"

"A few," he lied. "If this is a maze, as it appears to be, we'll have to take things slowly and surely. There are bound to be obstacles." He held up the Shen to light the way. "Stay close behind me. I'll keep you safe."

The two walked along the narrow passages and silence. They took each left turn, so as not to get lost or miss a room. Most of the walls had little design on them; perhaps a line or pattern for decoration. The floor was checkered, with half of the stones tinted green. Yugi kept his eyes open for any movement. By the time half an hour had passed with no incident, Rebecca suggested that it may be a sign they were headed the wrong direction. "Maybe we should turn back."

"We've come too far already," Yugi insisted. He scanned the present fork, shining his light cautiously down both passages. "Besides, I'd rather be sure to find the exit later than not find it at all." He made to go down the next left passage, but noticed that Rebecca's footsteps had stopped. "Rebecca!"

She peeked around at the right passage. "Shh! I thought I heard something!"

Yugi grabbed her arm, tired of her in many ways. "All the more reason to move this way!"

Rebecca's eyebrow rose. "You take longer to act than your brother, you know that?"

"Yami's more powerful than me."

"Says who?" She used Yugi's own grip to pull him closer to her. "I'll bet that you've gotten better than him since he retired. You've always been cleverer than him!"

Yugi stared at her. Why does she think she is such an authority on magic; she's never had any powers of her own. Unless she has read many books on the subject, which he always found to be inaccurate. "I don't want you getting hurt, Rebecca."

She leaned closer, her nose nearly touching his. "You do care!"

Yugi closed his eyes, pushed her to arm's length, and sighed. "I do, but not the way you want me to." He pushed her away a few inches and looked deeply into her eyes. "I love Anzu, Rebecca. I do not love you. After all of this, I doubt I ever could!"

Rebecca's eyes widen. Yugi may as well have slapped her. Reality seemed to crash down around her. She looked away, stricken. Yugi's heart went out to her. Rejection is tough, and he may have gone a bit too far. But she needed to know the truth. He owed her that much. And now, she needed a friend. He tried to touch her shoulder, but she pulled away. And with a sob, she fled down the right passageway.

"Rebecca!" Yugi flew after her, forgetting his concentration on the shield charm. All he knew was he had to make certain Rebecca was safe!

This passage ran straight down the center. Yugi caught up to Rebecca at the entrance to a larger room. She leaned against the stone column at the entrance, gasping for breath. When she heard Yugi's approach, she took one step inside.

The whole hallway seemed to light up. Darts shot from different angles at Yugi, who was still running to catch up with Rebecca. He quickly chanted a spell to set up a shield around him, but not before a couple darts hit his arms and legs. Poison seeped into Yugi's bloodstream, and he collapsed onto the stone floor. Rebecca screamed for him, but could not enter for fear of the same fate.

Behind her, a stone statue in the form of a minotaur grabbed her shoulders. She struggled to fight its grasp. "Let go of me," she shrieked. It dragged her further into the room out of sight.

Yugi opened his eyes, his body shaking. "Rebecca!" He pulled the Shen closer to himself, willing it to heal him faster. He got to the point where he could stand and pushed the shield further, destroying the mechanisms which shot the poisoned darts at him. "Rebecca, I'm on my way!" He dashed down the hall the rest of the way.

Another stone archway, the end of the maze, led to a blue sky with white clouds. The Minotaur grew wings, clutching Rebecca close to it. The blonde girl was crying in fear. "Yugi! Help me!"

"Rebecca!" Yugi tried to reach her, but the Minotaur fell backwards, disappearing into the clouds below.

Yugi grabbed a hold of the archway to search for her. He finally spotted her and her captor flying in the direction of an island. From the distance, he could see tall buildings resembling castles, expansive forests, and long stretches of beach. But there was no way he could get there as he was.

Yugi pulled himself back inside Manetho's maze. He leaned his back against the archway, feeling totally helpless. 'No! This can't be happening!' He slid down until he sat on the stone floor. 'After all of this time, people I care about are still getting hurt… because I wasn't able to save them! I'm so sorry, Rebecca!'

One thing he knew for sure: He needed to tell Yami! Not only was there a new way to enter the Shadow Realm, but the Duel Monsters were taking people to a strange area beyond it. He looked around back into view of the island. Oddly, it seemed to be closer. Odder still, it looked familiar. He watched in wonder as the entire island seemed to be coming closer to the opening. It came to a halt once the archway was hovering over the nearest beach.

"Good God… That castle in the center… It's the Duel Monster World!"

-0-

Yugi had a hard time finding his way out of the maze. He was convinced that the walls were changing even as he walked on. After what felt like hours, he spotted the stone archway with the Latin inscription. "Rebecca, I'll apologize for thinking you were a smartass when I see you" he promised aloud. In a small way, the statement salved his conscience for the time being.

He ran across the floating bridge to the mirror and began searching for a possible hint to the spell. Nothing on the mirror except the Seal of Orichalcos, and that alone gave Yugi traumatic flashbacks of worse times. "It must be something else," he thought aloud. "A knob, a trap, a gesture…"

The Mirror of Manethos began to swirl in a vortex portal. Yugi jumped into it, letting it pull him back to the museum and his friends.

-0-

**7:14pm, November 15****th****, New York City, USA**

Yugi landed face-first on the carpeted floors of the museum. 'Once,' he thought angrily, 'just once, I'd like to go through a portal and not end up in pain!' He heard his name shouted a few times as two sets of arms pulled him to a kneeling position.

"Yug, what the hell happened," asked Terri on his right.

"Can you stand, Yugi," asked Hawkins on his left.

"Are you okay," asked Anzu in front of him.

"What's going on," asked Brandon from somewhere behind him.

Yugi just gave a nod. His head still spun from the affects of the Shadow Realm. "R-Rebecca… Rebecca was taken… I'm not sure what it was…" He looked up at Hawkins meaningfully. "I couldn't save her! I'm so sorry!"

Hawkins looked shocked. "What took her? Where does that lead?"

"I…" Yugi looked away. "I don't know… But it's nothing from this world!"

"But you have only been gone for ten minutes!"

"Ten minutes?!" Yugi cried out. "We've been gone at least an hour!"

"Perhaps there is a time lapse," suggested Destiny, who stayed well away from the mirror and the others. "Think about the myths of Avalon; one day here is one hour there. This might not be as extreme a difference, but it is noticeable."

Terri looked at his watch. "So while we're here yappin', Becky's been gone for around twenty minutes?!"

"We've got to get her back!" Everyone turned to look at Brandon. The millionaire's son had his back to them, facing the mirror. "If someone has been hurt by this, I take full responsibility. This belonged to my family, and even if I don't understand it, I feel as though it is my job to handle the situation."

"Are you insane," cried Anzu. "You just said you have no idea what it is?"

"Or how to get there," added Destiny.

"It's a spell," said Yugi, no longer caring if he might give himself away. If Brandon felt responsible, Yugi must be ten times guiltier! Ra's blood, what happened to him! "Spells can trigger the opening of magic devices like this. All we have to do is figure out what we said!"

"You two were arguing when it opened," supplied Anzu.

"Okay… What did we say exactly?"

"We couldn't hear most of it."

"Somethin' about betrayin' Yami's trust!" Terri's perfect memory hummed as he mentally recounted the fight.

"Do not say it," said Yugi. "Write it down!"

Terri got out his small sketchbook and a pencil. "Let's see… When the portal opened, Yug had just said dis." He wrote, 'I'm sick of you trying to pull us apart again!' "Den Becky said dis." 'And I'm tired of you accusing me all the time.'

"Exactly when did it open, after my words or Rebecca's?"

"Yours."

Yugi took the paper and pencil and wrote his own mutterings before returning through the mirror. "It must be something else: A knob, a trap, a gesture…"

"You seem to know a lot about this stuff," commented Brandon suspiciously.

"I read a lot," Yugi responded. He started at the writing. If the magical object was a mirror, perhaps the counter spell was the reverse of the original. That often occurs in spells on objects. He looked at the writing carefully, then gasped. "This is it!" He underlined the word "apart" and the phrase "trap a".

"That must be it!" exclaimed Anzu.

"Worth a shot," reasoned Terri.

Brandon nodded. "This is the best we have for now. Still, before we jump into a potentially dangerous adventure like this, I'm going to get my medical bag. Tinkerbe-"

"'Ey! At least call me Toriello!"

"You can get us some sleeping bags from the theatre. There are at least four left over from our Camp Broadway production. Ann, Yugi…" He considered them. See what kinds of protein bars and bottled water we can lay our hands on. I'll pay you back for everything, so save your receipts."

"Why do you care so much?" asked Anzu suspiciously.

Brandon looked at them very seriously. "That thing is my mirror! I consider it my responsibility to help save Rebecca! Besides…" his eyes focused on Professor Hawkins. "No one deserves to suffer the loss of a young family member. Not like that!"

A part of Yugi wanted to ask what Brandon meant by that statement. There was something beneath the playboy surface that Brandon had intended to keep hidden. Yugi used to believe in the goodness in every human heart. Perhaps Brandon hid his better traits, or Yugi had been so blinded by jealousy to bother searching for them. His eyes were covered in shadow in his shame. "I agree. No matter how much Rebecca and I argue she's still my friend." Yugi casted his eyes back up to Brandon. "What do you need me to do?"

-0-

Anzu and Yugi dragged in four large backpacks worth of supplies with Destiny's help. The aqua-haired girl had been very quiet the past hour, even after she had offered her services in gathering their materials. She kept staring at them behind their backs, and then turning away each time they almost caught her. Her heart sank as she witnessed Terri arriving jovially with five sleeping bags. "I'm not coming."

"Why not," he asked, crestfallen.

"I… I'm afraid…"

"'Ey, you don't need to be scared while I'm around!" He nudged her playfully. "I'll protect ya if Yug an' Pretty Boy don' step up!"

Destiny blushed bright red. Of all of the people to touch her, it had to be Terri! "I… I…"

"It's alright, Destiny," said Anzu as she attached the sleeping bags to the backpacks. "We all understand that we're getting into a bad situation."

Terri groaned. "My ma's gonna kill me when I don' show up fer Thanksgivin' dinnah!"

Yugi closed his cell phone. "I tried calling Yami eight times!"

"Did you try Nazo," asked Anzu.

"Twice! Same with Jiichan, Okaasan, and even Jonouchi!"

Anzu walked over and kissed his cheek. "I'm sorry you couldn't tell them you wouldn't be reachable for a while."

Yugi chuckled darkly. "Believe me, I'm sorry, too!"

"Everybody ready to go," Brandon called out as he entered the room. The medical bag he was carrying was very old fashioned: Black bag that snapped shut at the top with a red cross on the side. His eyes narrowed at Terri, who obviously wanted to make a joke. "Don't get smart! It was my grandfather's bag in the Korean War!"

"Wasn't dat a police action?"

Brandon ignored the transvestite and proceeded to look over the contents of one of the bags. "Not exactly the best of rations, but you guys did a good job of covering the essentials."

"My dad liked to take me camping," said Anzu, who was still wary of Brandon's attitude.

"It shows." He shouldered his bag, looking at them over his shoulder. "You all coming or not?"

"I'm coming," said Anzu, lifting her bag as best she could.

Terri helped her lift it from behind. "I'm gettin' my Becky back, safe an' sound," he declared with confidence.

Yugi gulped. If they were really going back to the Duel Monster Realm, then sooner or later he would have to tell them about his past life. He hated to go back on a promise to Yami, but he would have no choice! Their lives might depend on his magic!

But how will Anzu, Terri, and Brandon react?

"I'm ready," said Yugi.

Brandon gave a nod and stood in front of his mirror. "Apart!"

The mirror began to glow, and the vortex appeared. Yugi and his friends were whisked away to their next adventure: Duel Monster Kingdom.

-0-

**[1] Spells into the SR - Yugi knows that the Mil. Items can open doors in and out, but does not know them by heart. He had Keiko read him a spell from Seto's notes in _YLPII_ to rescue Yami-tachi.**

**-0-**

Una: Yes, yes, its been a year. A number of factors have contributed to my lack of muses. I am sincerly sorry, from the bottom of my heart. I do want to finish this saga at some point. All I ask is that I get some reviews. I put a lot of effort into the big chapter before this, and didn't get very many reviews. My confidence in my story went downhill from there, as did my inspiration and motivation to complete it. Let's hope they continue singing as I reformat all of my stories again!


End file.
